Latest news with #BeltranLeyvaOrganization
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US government taking ‘dramatically different approach' using terrorism charges against drug cartels: FBI alum
A former FBI assistant director says the federal government is taking a "dramatically different approach" to how it approaches drug trafficking after several Sinaloa cartel leaders were slapped with terror-related charges. Both Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, were charged with narco-terrorism, material support of terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering on May 13 as members of the Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO), a faction of the Sinaloa cartel. Five additional BLO leaders were charged with drug trafficking and money laundering. It's the first time that cartel members have been hit with terrorism-related charges, which Chris Swecker, former assistant director of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division, told Fox News Digital is intended to send a message. "This administration is taking a dramatically different approach to fighting drug cartels, who are the most powerful criminal organizations on the planet right now," Swecker said. "It is perfect for narco-traffickers because if you can go after anyone who supports these trafficking cartels and leaders and members in any way, if they give them a paperclip, if they provide financial support, if they work for them, they're a hit man." Sinaloa Cartel Leaders Charged With Narco-terrorism After Authorities Seize 1.65 Tons Of Fentanyl "It also gives us some extra territorial punch, if you will. It gives us the ability, if we want to, to dip into foreign countries," he said. Read On The Fox News App Swecker, who has run numerous investigations involving drug cartels, said the Trump administration's decision to use terrorism charges expands the number of people who can be charged, and increases the potential penalties. "This is a serious approach by treating them as terrorists. It increases the penalties that they're exposed to. It ups the ante when it comes to extradition," Swecker said. "It ups the ante when it comes to the seriousness of the charges. They can use RICO, they can use continuing criminal enterprise, they can use now material support to terrorist organizations, so now, all you have to do is be affiliated in any way with a drug cartel, and we can lower a 20-year sentence on you." On Feb. 20, the Trump administration designated the Sinaloa cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Violent Mexican Drug Gang's High Ranking Members Sanctioned By Trump Noriega allegedly worked closely with his son to "aggressively traffic" fentanyl into the United States, prosecutors said, adding that the two have led "one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world." The father and son trafficked "tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl" into the United States, according to federal prosecutors. Mexican law enforcement officials raided several locations in Sinaloa that are managed and controlled by the pair, seizing over 1.65 tons of fentanyl. Indictments are also pending against members of the BLO and Sinaloa cartel, which include Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe, Pedro Inzunza Noriega, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Ismael Zambada Sicairos and Jose Gil Caro Quintero. All individuals, including Noriega and Coronel, remain at-large. Adam Gordon, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California, sent a message to the cartel leaders during a press conference announcing the charges. "Let me be direct: To the leaders of the Sinaloa cartel, you are no longer the hunters. You are the hunted. You will be betrayed by your friends. You will be hounded by your enemies, and you will ultimately find yourself and your face here in a courtroom in the Southern District of California," Gordon article source: US government taking 'dramatically different approach' using terrorism charges against drug cartels: FBI alum
Fox News
02-06-2025
- Business
- Fox News
US government taking ‘dramatically different approach' using terrorism charges against drug cartels: FBI alum
A former FBI assistant director says the federal government is taking a "dramatically different approach" to how it approaches drug trafficking after several Sinaloa cartel leaders were slapped with terror-related charges. Both Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, were charged with narco-terrorism, material support of terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering on May 13 as members of the Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO), a faction of the Sinaloa cartel. Five additional BLO leaders were charged with drug trafficking and money laundering. It's the first time that cartel members have been hit with terrorism-related charges, which Chris Swecker, former assistant director of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division, told Fox News Digital is intended to send a message. "This administration is taking a dramatically different approach to fighting drug cartels, who are the most powerful criminal organizations on the planet right now," Swecker said. "It is perfect for narco-traffickers because if you can go after anyone who supports these trafficking cartels and leaders and members in any way, if they give them a paperclip, if they provide financial support, if they work for them, they're a hit man." "It also gives us some extra territorial punch, if you will. It gives us the ability, if we want to, to dip into foreign countries," he said. Swecker, who has run numerous investigations involving drug cartels, said the Trump administration's decision to use terrorism charges expands the number of people who can be charged, and increases the potential penalties. "This is a serious approach by treating them as terrorists. It increases the penalties that they're exposed to. It ups the ante when it comes to extradition," Swecker said. "It ups the ante when it comes to the seriousness of the charges. They can use RICO, they can use continuing criminal enterprise, they can use now material support to terrorist organizations, so now, all you have to do is be affiliated in any way with a drug cartel, and we can lower a 20-year sentence on you." On Feb. 20, the Trump administration designated the Sinaloa cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Noriega allegedly worked closely with his son to "aggressively traffic" fentanyl into the United States, prosecutors said, adding that the two have led "one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world." The father and son trafficked "tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl" into the United States, according to federal prosecutors. Mexican law enforcement officials raided several locations in Sinaloa that are managed and controlled by the pair, seizing over 1.65 tons of fentanyl. Indictments are also pending against members of the BLO and Sinaloa cartel, which include Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe, Pedro Inzunza Noriega, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Ismael Zambada Sicairos and Jose Gil Caro Quintero. All individuals, including Noriega and Coronel, remain at-large. Adam Gordon, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California, sent a message to the cartel leaders during a press conference announcing the charges. "Let me be direct: To the leaders of the Sinaloa cartel, you are no longer the hunters. You are the hunted. You will be betrayed by your friends. You will be hounded by your enemies, and you will ultimately find yourself and your face here in a courtroom in the Southern District of California," Gordon said.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sinaloa cartel leaders charged with narco-terrorism after authorities seize 1.65 tons of fentanyl
Two leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel were hit with narco-terrorism charges on Tuesday for their involvement in allegedly trafficking "massive" amounts of drugs into the United States, according to federal officials. Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, were both named in an unsealed federal indictment on Tuesday and charged with narco-terrorism, material support of terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering as members of the Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO), which is a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. Five other BLO leaders were charged with drug trafficking and money laundering. The charges come after the Trump administration designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on Feb. 20. Prosecutors alleged in court documents that Noriega works closely with his son to both produce and "aggressively traffic" fentanyl into the United States. They allege that the two have led "one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world." Sinaloa Cartel Slapped With Trump Admin Sanctions In Blow To Drug Empire Authorities said that the father and son have trafficked "tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl" into the United States. According to federal prosecutors, Tuesday's indictment is the first of its kind from the Department of Justice's newly formed Narco-Terrorism Unit. Read On The Fox News App On Dec. 3, 2024, Mexican law enforcement officials raised several locations in Sinaloa that are controlled and managed by the pair, seizing more than 1.65 tons of fentanyl. Sinaloa Cartel Takes Root In American Neighborhoods: Where Are They? Indictments are also pending against members of the BLO and Sinaloa Cartel, which include Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe, Pedro Inzunza Noriega, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Ismael Zambada Sicairos and Jose Gil Caro Quintero. All individuals, as well as Noriega and Coronel, remain at-large. Adam Gordon, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, had a message for members of the Sinaloa Cartel during a press conference on Tuesday. "Let me be direct: To the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, you are no longer the hunters. You are the hunted. You will be betrayed by your friends. You will be hounded by your enemies, and you will ultimately find yourself and your face here in a courtroom in the Southern District of California," Gordon article source: Sinaloa cartel leaders charged with narco-terrorism after authorities seize 1.65 tons of fentanyl
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Father-son cartel leaders charged for allegedly running fentanyl network
A father-son duo and other Sinaloa cartel leaders were charged Tuesday with allegedly trafficking massive amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin into the United States, the Department of Justice said. Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, ran one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks, federal prosecutors said in a news release. The Department of Justice said the duo were leaders of the Beltran Leyva Organization, a powerful and violent faction of the Sinaloa cartel. Five other leaders were also charged with drug trafficking and money laundering. The pair trafficked tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl into the U.S., the federal government alleged, and more than 1.65 tons of fentanyl was seized from their holdings by the Mexican government — the largest seizure of fentanyl in the world. "The Sinaloa Cartel is a complex, dangerous terrorist organization and dismantling them demands a novel, powerful legal response," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in the statement. "Their days of brutalizing the American people without consequence are over — we will seek life in prison for these terrorists." President Trump has designated eight Latin American drug trafficking organizations as terrorist organizations, including Mexico's two main drug trafficking organizations: the Jalisco New Generation and Sinaloa cartels. Mr. Trump signed an executive order on his first day back in the White House saying that the cartels "constitute a national security threat beyond that posed by traditional organized crime." In the months since, the Department of Justice has charged several alleged cartel leaders, including two brothers accused of being leaders of La Nueva Familia Michoacana. Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga and Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga are accused of participating in a conspiracy to manufacture cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl and importing and distributing the drugs in the U.S., authorities said during an April news conference in Atlanta. Sixteen people were also arrested earlier this month and 3 million pills laced with fentanyl were seized in what federal prosecutors said was the "largest fentanyl bust in DEA history." Democrats also urged Trump administration officials to use the designation of Latin American cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations to take action to curtail the flow of American-made guns across the southern border. April inflation report shows impact of Trump tariffs on auto parts Key takeaways from Day 1 of Trump's Middle East trip MLB makes Pete Rose, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and others eligible for Hall of Fame
Fox News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Sinaloa cartel leaders charged with narco-terrorism after authorities seize 1.65 tons of fentanyl
Two leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel were hit with narco-terrorism charges on Tuesday for their involvement in allegedly trafficking "massive" amounts of drugs into the United States, according to federal officials. Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, were both named in an unsealed federal indictment on Tuesday and charged with narco-terrorism, material support of terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering as members of the Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO), which is a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. Five other BLO leaders were charged with drug trafficking and money laundering. The charges come after the Trump administration designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on Feb. 20. Prosecutors alleged in court documents that Noriega works closely with his son to both produce and "aggressively traffic" fentanyl into the United States. They allege that the two have led "one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world." Authorities said that the father and son have trafficked "tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl" into the United States. According to federal prosecutors, Tuesday's indictment is the first of its kind from the Department of Justice's newly formed Narco-Terrorism Unit. On Dec. 3, 2024, Mexican law enforcement officials raised several locations in Sinaloa that are controlled and managed by the pair, seizing more than 1.65 tons of fentanyl. Indictments are also pending against members of the BLO and Sinaloa Cartel, which include Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe, Pedro Inzunza Noriega, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Ismael Zambada Sicairos and Jose Gil Caro Quintero. All individuals, as well as Noriega and Coronel, remain at-large. Adam Gordon, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, had a message for members of the Sinaloa Cartel during a press conference on Tuesday. "Let me be direct: To the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, you are no longer the hunters. You are the hunted. You will be betrayed by your friends. You will be hounded by your enemies, and you will ultimately find yourself and your face here in a courtroom in the Southern District of California," Gordon said.
