UPDATE: A dual U.S.-Mexican citizen, Aaron Leib Kobisher, was just sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison for his role in a major drug trafficking operation that imported the purest fentanyl ever tested in San Diego. The sentencing took place today, October 27, 2023, in a San Diego federal court.
Kobisher, 36, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a conspiracy charge involving the distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. Authorities reported that he was part of a drug-trafficking group that operated between San Diego and Tijuana, moving narcotics across the border and distributing them as far away as Atlanta and New York.
The case took a dramatic turn when Spanish authorities arrested Kobisher in June 2023 at the Madrid airport, just before he boarded a flight to Mexico City. He waived extradition and was quickly returned to the U.S. to face charges. U.S. District Judge James Simmons sentenced him to eight years and one month behind bars, acknowledging his extensive cooperation with law enforcement.
During the hearing, Kobisher expressed remorse, stating that his drug involvement began small but quickly spiraled out of control. “I’m thankful I was arrested to stop it,” he told the judge. His defense attorney, Guadalupe Valencia, emphasized that the arrest likely saved his client’s life, saying, “He has clearly learned from this whole experience.”
Prosecutors revealed that Kobisher’s trafficking activities dated back to at least 2021. A significant drug seizure in June 2021 linked to him uncovered over four pounds of fentanyl, which authorities later confirmed was the most concentrated fentanyl ever tested in the region. Law enforcement agents were shocked by the purity level, prompting immediate investigations.
Although Kobisher was a dual citizen who frequently crossed the border, his movements halted after authorities linked him to several drug seizures in October 2022. It is believed he fled to Mexico, intending not to return until his arrest in Spain.
Kobisher’s troubled past includes surviving multiple assassination attempts in Tijuana around 2015, according to reports from investigative magazine Zeta Tijuana. After the first attempt, he employed bodyguards for himself and his family. The second attempt involved a shootout while he was traveling with a bodyguard who was a municipal police officer.
Kobisher’s story illustrates the dangerous intersection of drug trafficking and personal survival, as he navigated both the criminal underworld and family life in Tijuana. Despite his past, he managed to build a life with a wife and two children, but his criminal activities ultimately led to his downfall.
As this case unfolds, authorities continue to emphasize the ongoing battle against fentanyl trafficking. The implications of Kobisher’s sentencing extend beyond his personal circumstances, highlighting a larger crisis affecting communities across the U.S. and beyond.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story as law enforcement ramps up efforts to combat the fentanyl epidemic.
