The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a major crackdown on the United Cartels, a coalition of Mexico-based criminal organizations responsible for flooding American streets with methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized that these charges aim to dismantle the cartel network and bring its leaders to justice for the violence and death they have caused in the United States.
“Working closely with our partners throughout President Trump’s Administration, we are committed to eliminating foreign terror organizations and prosecuting those who threaten our citizens,” Bondi said.
Announcing the Indictments
Matthew Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, addressed the press to announce the indictment of five top leaders of the United Cartels.
These individuals are accused of trafficking massive quantities of drugs into the U.S. and using military-grade weapons to maintain control over their territories in Mexico.
The United Cartels were formally designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in February 2025, highlighting the extreme threat they pose to national security.
The defendants now face charges that carry life sentences, including drug trafficking, firearms violations, and participation in a violent criminal enterprise.
The Three-Pronged Strategy Against the Cartels
Galeotti outlined a three-pronged approach to combating the United Cartels:
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Criminal Charges – The five top leaders have been charged with crimes including methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine trafficking. Three of the defendants also face firearms-related charges.
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Rewards for Information – In partnership with the State Department, the Justice Department is expanding its rewards program to encourage witnesses to provide information about cartel leaders.
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Economic Sanctions – The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control is targeting the cartel leadership with sanctions to cut off their financial resources.
The Cartels’ Operations in Michoacán
The United Cartels originated in Michoacán, a Mexican state roughly the size of West Virginia.
For years, they have ruled the region through terror, corruption, and violence.
The cartel leaders operate massive methamphetamine labs, cocaine landing strips, and fentanyl pill facilities.
Their network stretches into U.S. cities such as Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and Denver.
With the profits, they purchase weapons and hire mercenaries to maintain control, particularly against rival groups like Cartel Jalisco Nuevo Generacion (CJNG).
Their arsenal includes IEDs, drones, RPGs, .50 caliber rifles, and improvised tanks.
The Five Indicted Leaders
The Department of Justice identified the following cartel leaders:
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Juan Jose Farias Alvarez (“Abuelo”) – Alleged overall leader of the United Cartels.
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Edgar Orozco Cabadas (“El Kamoni”) – High-level enforcer leading armed fighters known as the “Kamonis.”
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Alfonso Fernandez Magallon (“Poncho”) – Leader of Los Reyes Cartel, a United Cartels sub-division.
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Luis Enrique Barragan Chavez (“Wicho”) – Second-in-command of Los Reyes Cartel and leader of the “R5s” armed group.
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Nicolas Sierra Santana (“El Gordo”) – Head of Los Viagras cartel, notorious methamphetamine producers.
These leaders are accused of participating in a decade-long conspiracy to manufacture and distribute illegal drugs and of using firearms in relation to their criminal activities.
How the Investigation Unfolded
The investigation began in December 2019 in Rockwood, Tennessee, after a car accident led authorities to a methamphetamine conversion lab.
Law enforcement seized approximately 950 kilograms of meth, fentanyl pills, and cash, along with communications linking the network to the United Cartels in Michoacán.
Messages revealed that El Kamoni coordinated shipments of meth and fentanyl from Mexico to the United States, showing the cartel’s direct connection to the American heartland.
Rewards for Information
The Justice Department and State Department are offering multimillion-dollar rewards for information leading to the arrest or conviction of these cartel leaders:
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$10 million for Juan Farias Alvarez (“Abuelo”)
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$5 million for Alfonso Fernandez Magallon (“Poncho”)
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$5 million for Nicolas Sierra Santana (“El Gordo”)
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$3 million for Luis Enrique Barragan Chavez (“Wicho”)
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$3 million for Edgar Orozco Cabadas (“El Kamoni”)
These rewards aim to encourage the public to come forward and help stop the flow of deadly drugs into U.S. communities.
Economic Sanctions Against Cartel Leaders
The Treasury Department is imposing targeted economic sanctions to cut off the cartel leaders’ financial resources.
By restricting their access to funds, the U.S. government aims to weaken the cartel’s operational power and limit their ability to buy weapons or pay mercenaries.
A Collaborative International Effort
Galeotti emphasized the importance of cooperation with Mexican law enforcement and other international partners.
The U.S. government is working tirelessly to ensure these dangerous individuals face justice and to disrupt the networks that fuel violence and drug trafficking in both Mexico and the United States.