Key facts
- Five senior leaders of the United Cartels have been indicted by the U.S. Justice Department.
- The United Cartels is a rival to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and is designated as a foreign terrorist organization.
- The investigation involved wiretaps, surveillance, and a shootout with police.
- The charges target drug trafficking, violence, and the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
- Reward offers totaling up to $26 million are available for information leading to arrests.
The U.S. Justice Department has unsealed five separate indictments against alleged high-ranking leaders of the United Cartels, a significant drug trafficking organization and rival to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The charges, announced by Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, aim to dismantle the United Cartels and bring its leaders to justice for their roles in drug trafficking and violence that impacts American communities.
The investigation, which began in 2019 following a car accident involving two drug dealers in Tennessee, involved extensive wiretaps, search warrants, and surveillance. This complex operation traced the flow of drugs from clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in Michoacán, Mexico, to major U.S. distribution hubs. Law enforcement faced significant dangers, including a shootout with police during the investigation.
Those indicted include Juan Jose Farias Alvarez, also known as “El Abuelo”; Alfonso Fernandez Magallon (“Poncho”); Luis Enrique Barragan Chavez (“Wicho / R5”); Edgar Orozco Cabadas (“El Kamoni”); and Nicolas Sierra Santana (“El Gordo”). The U.S. government is offering substantial rewards, totaling up to $26 million, for information leading to the arrest and conviction of these individuals, who are believed to be in Mexico.
Officials emphasized that the United Cartels are responsible for flooding the country with deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine, profiting through violence, extortion, and corruption. The charges underscore the U.S. law enforcement's commitment to combating transnational criminal organizations and safeguarding public safety on both sides of the border. The United Cartels, an umbrella organization of smaller cartels, holds significant influence in Michoacán, an area of economic importance to the U.S. due to its avocado exports.