U.S. Targets Top CJNG Leaders With New Criminal Indictments
The United States has announced criminal indictments against five alleged high-ranking members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), marking another major step in its campaign against one of Mexico’s most influential drug trafficking organizations.
According to U.S. officials, the newly unsealed charges target individuals accused of playing key leadership roles within the cartel’s operations, including large-scale drug trafficking involving cocaine and methamphetamine destined for the United States. None of the accused are currently in U.S. custody.
The announcement comes as authorities continue to increase pressure on the cartel following the death of its longtime leader earlier this year.
Charges Focus on Alleged Leadership Network
The five individuals named in the indictments include:
- Julio Alberto Castillo Rodriguez
- Hugo Gonzalo Mendoza Gaytan
- Ricardo Ruiz Velasco
- Julio Cesar Montero Pinzon
- Carlos Andres Rivera Varela
Federal prosecutors allege the group helped oversee drug production, trafficking networks, logistics, and other criminal activities linked to the cartel’s international operations.
Officials stated that the indictments are part of a broader strategy to disrupt the organization’s leadership structure and reduce its ability to move illegal narcotics across borders.
Rewards Increased for Current Cartel Leadership
Alongside the indictments, U.S. authorities announced expanded efforts to locate the cartel’s current leadership. The State Department has increased the reward to up to $25 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of the organization’s alleged current leader, Juan Carlos Valencia Gonzalez, also known as “El Pelón.”
Authorities believe the reward increase and criminal charges will encourage greater international cooperation in locating senior cartel members and weakening the group’s operational capabilities.
Ongoing Campaign Against Organized Crime
The latest legal action reflects the U.S. government’s continued focus on combating transnational organized crime, particularly organizations involved in narcotics trafficking and related violence.
Officials emphasized that the indictments are allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Investigations into the cartel’s activities remain ongoing as law enforcement agencies work with international partners to pursue additional suspects.
