Federal prosecutors announced Tuesday the indictment of two prominent Mexican drug cartel figures on narco-terrorism charges, marking a significant escalation in the U.S. government’s approach to combating international drug trafficking organizations.
The charges follow a February directive from the Trump administration that classified the Sinaloa Cartel and seven other Latin American criminal organizations as “foreign terrorist organizations,” a designation typically reserved for politically-motivated groups like al-Qaida rather than profit-driven criminal enterprises. This reclassification was initiated through an executive order signed by President Trump on January 20 at the start of his second term.
The defendants, Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son Pedro Inzunza Coronel, leading figures in the Beltrán Leyva Organization, face charges of providing material support for terrorism alongside allegations of trafficking substantial quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin into the United States. Five additional high-ranking members of the organization were charged with drug trafficking and money laundering offenses. All suspects currently remain at large.
“If you act like a terrorist, you shouldn’t be surprised if you are charged as one,” stated Adam Gordon, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California, emphasizing the serious nature of the charges.
The Beltrán Leyva Organization, which emerged following its split from the Sinaloa Cartel, has established itself as one of the world’s most sophisticated fentanyl production networks. According to court documents, the organization is responsible for trafficking tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl into the United States. In December, Mexican authorities conducted raids on multiple facilities controlled by the father-son duo, resulting in the seizure of 1,500 kilograms of fentanyl – the largest such seizure in history.
The organization’s influence extends throughout Central America and numerous regions of Mexico, including the border city of Tijuana, which sits opposite San Diego. Their operations are characterized by extreme violence, including shootouts, kidnappings, torture, and murders, with law enforcement officials often targeted.
The elder Inzunza, who is paralyzed due to injuries sustained in an attack by rival cartel members, has been a dominant force in cocaine distribution since 2006, and has more recently emerged as a major player in the fentanyl trade. The organization he leads with his son has established itself as one of the most formidable criminal enterprises in the Western Hemisphere.
The group’s current status reflects the ongoing fragmentation of Mexico’s criminal landscape, where former allies have become bitter enemies in territorial disputes. The Beltrán Leyva Organization’s separation from the Sinaloa Cartel has contributed to escalating violence across large portions of Mexico as various factions compete for control of lucrative trafficking routes and territory.
This indictment represents a significant shift in U.S. law enforcement strategy, applying counter-terrorism legal frameworks to combat drug trafficking organizations. The unprecedented approach signals an intensification of efforts to disrupt the operations of Mexican cartels and their impact on the United States, particularly in light of the ongoing fentanyl crisis.
The charges carry severe penalties and demonstrate the U.S.
government’s commitment to targeting high-ranking cartel leadership using every available legal tool, including those traditionally reserved for combating international terrorism.