❌ An online rumor claims authorities with ICE, the FBI and the DEA arrested more than 5,000 cartel members as part of a Minneapolis campaign named Operation Iron North. That never happened.

In January 2026, a false rumor circulated online claiming that federal authorities arrested over 5,000 cartel members in Minneapolis as part of Operation Iron North. Snopes investigated and found no credible sources reporting on such an operation. The rumor was likely generated by artificial intelligence to create inflammatory content for advertising revenue.