Four Charged in Florida Over Ties to Mexican Cartel CJNG
US Attorney in Tampa announces unsealed indictment charging four individuals with narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and firearms trafficking linked to the CJNG cartel.
Federal prosecutors in Tampa, Florida, have unsealed an indictment charging four individuals with narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and firearms trafficking, linking them to one of Mexico's most powerful criminal organizations.
United States Attorney Gregory Kehoe announced the charges on Tuesday, identifying the defendants as Edgar Alejandro Lopez Velasco, Noah Diaz Jimenez, Leo Barto Garciolo Lopez, and José Miguel Alvarado Morales. Of the four, only Alvarado Morales is a U.S. citizen.
The defendants are alleged to be members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which Kehoe described as the most powerful and violent drug cartel in Mexico. The indictment accuses the group of using violence and intimidation against Mexican military and police forces.
According to the announcement, the cartel employs military-grade weaponry, including drones, to attack Mexican law enforcement. Officials also allege the organization has assassinated Mexican officials on multiple occasions in its efforts to control organized crime in Mexico.
Kehoe stated that prosecutors are committed to jointly prosecuting and curtailing the violent and drug trafficking activities of CJNG, vowing that the group will be pursued wherever it operates.