Attorney General Bonta Secures Felony Sentence Against San Diego Fentanyl Trafficker

SAN DIEGO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today secured a 10-year sentence against Jose Hector Ruiz on felony counts of transportation for sale of a controlled substance weighing more than four kilograms. The arrest of Mr. Ruiz occurred after a joint operation in San Diego County resulted in the seizure of 720,000 fentanyl pills. In February 2024, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Fentanyl Abatement & Suppression Team (FAST), in collaboration with the California Department of Justice San Diego Fentanyl Enforcement Program (SD FEP), the United States Border Patrol (USBP), and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSD), arrested Mr. Ruiz in Alpine after the investigation determined he was driving a vehicle containing a large quantity of fentanyl.

“Today, I want to remind Californians that our work will continue until illicit fentanyl stops destroying lives,” said Attorney Rob General Bonta. “This sentence would not have been possible without the strong partnership between our Fentanyl Enforcement Program and the FAST Task Force. Whether by the seizure of illicit fentanyl through our ongoing enforcement efforts or by bringing California billions of dollars through our legal efforts to hold the opioid industry accountable, the California Department of Justice is all-in when it comes to protecting California families from the dangers of fentanyl. There are countless lives being saved because of this important and difficult work.”

“FAST represents the kind of focused and strategic partnership needed to confront the fentanyl crisis head on,” said Shawn Gibson, special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations, San Diego. “This multiagency effort and lengthy sentencing demonstrates how combining resources and expertise is making communities safer and stronger by targeting the networks peddling this deadly drug.”

A total of 110 packages were removed from the vehicle with a total combined weight of 158.5 pounds. The packages contained blue pills with “M30” markings, and the investigation determined the pills contained fentanyl. Law enforcement estimated approximately 720,000 fentanyl pills were removed from the vehicle. The prosecution of this case was handled by the California Department of Justice, Special Prosecutions Section.

HSI FAST is a multiagency task force comprised of state, local and federal partners and was first established in August 2022, focusing on the disruption and dismantlement of criminal organizations that smuggle and distribute fentanyl within San Diego County. HSI’s FAST targets fentanyl smuggling and distribution networks to counter the rising overdose rate and decrease the availability and accessibility of fentanyl. The California Department of Justice (DOJ) is actively working to prevent fentanyl trafficking across the border through coordinated efforts with federal and local law enforcement partners throughout California to stop fentanyl before it ever has a chance to make it into our neighborhoods. As of April 2025, DOJ has seized a total of 15,468,990 fentanyl pills, 6,793 pounds of fentanyl powder and have arrested 508 suspects on fentanyl related charges.

An image from the seizure can be found here.

The complaint can be found here.