U.S. officials unveiled an indictment Tuesday against two alleged Mexican drug cartel leaders on narco-terrorism charges.
The indictment comes after the Trump administration in February designated the Sinaloa Cartel and seven other Latin American crime organizations as “foreign terrorist organizations,” upping its pressure on cartels operating in the U.S. and on anyone aiding them. President Donald Trump called for the designation in an executive order on Jan. 20, the day he took office in his second term.
The “foreign terrorist organization” label is unusual because it deploys a terrorist designation normally reserved for groups like al-Qaida or the Islamic State group that use violence for political ends — not for money-focused crime rings such as the Latin American cartels.
“If you act like a terrorist, you shouldn’t be surprised if you are charged as one,” said Adam Gordon, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California.
Those charged were described as key leaders of the Beltrán Leyva Organization, according to the indictment. The organization is one of a number of warring criminal groups that once formed part of the Sinaloa Cartel and have since split off and warred for territory and power, fueling bloodshed in large swathes of Mexico.
Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, were also charged with providing material support of terrorism in connection with the trafficking of massive amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin into the United States, according to court documents. Five other high-ranking members were charged with drug trafficking and money laundering.
All remain fugitives, officials said.
The father and son have overseen “one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world," Gordon said. The organization is accused of trafficking tens of thousands of kilograms (pounds) of fentanyl into the United States.
Mexican authorities in December raided multiple sites controlled by the father and son that resulted in the world's largest seizure of fentanyl, totaling 1,500 kilograms (more than 1.65 tons), according to court documents.
The group is also known for its violence, engaging in shootouts, kidnappings, torture and murders and targeting officials. It controls the drug trade in various parts of Central America and in many areas of Mexico – including in the border city of Tijuana, across from San Diego, according to the indictment.
The elder Pedro is paralyzed after being shot by a rival cartel member. His group has been one of the top distributors of cocaine and now fentanyl since 2006, Gordon said.
President Donald Trump is in Saudi Arabia for the first leg of his three-nation visit to the Middle East this week. His first visit is focused on dealmaking with a key Mideast ally while shared concerns about Iran’s nuclear program and the war in Gaza drag on in the background. In a speech earlier Tuesday, Trump urged Iran to take a “new and a better path” as he pushes for a new nuclear deal and said he wanted to avoid conflict with Tehran. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi de facto ruler, warmly greeted Trump as he stepped off Air Force One. The pair signed a host of economic and bilateral cooperation agreements.
President Donald Trump is in Saudi Arabia for the first leg of his three-nation visit to the Middle East this week. His first visit is focused on dealmaking with a key Mideast ally while shared concerns about Iran’s nuclear program and the war in Gaza drag on in the background. In a speech earlier Tuesday, Trump urged Iran to take a “new and a better path” as he pushes for a new nuclear deal and said he wanted to avoid conflict with Tehran. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi de facto ruler, warmly greeted Trump as he stepped off Air Force One. The pair signed a host of economic and bilateral cooperation agreements.
A U.S. budget airline has begun making deportation flights out of an Arizona airport, an unusual and controversial move for a company that depends heavily on its consumer brand. Avelo Airlines, a commercial passenger carrier that serves mostly small U.S. cities, is branching out by becoming the newest contractor for ICE Air, as U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement's air deportation unit is known. The move has inspired a backlash against the airline in Connecticut, an online boycott petition and sharp criticism from the union representing the carrier’s flight attendants. Neither Avelo nor ICE provided details of the contract for the flights.
A U.S. budget airline has begun making deportation flights out of an Arizona airport, an unusual and controversial move for a company that depends heavily on its consumer brand. Avelo Airlines, a commercial passenger carrier that serves mostly small U.S. cities, is branching out by becoming the newest contractor for ICE Air, as U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement's air deportation unit is known. The move has inspired a backlash against the airline in Connecticut, an online boycott petition and sharp criticism from the union representing the carrier’s flight attendants. Neither Avelo nor ICE provided details of the contract for the flights.
The Trump administration said on Tuesday that eight federal agencies will terminate another $450 million in grants to Harvard University. See more on Salem News Channel.
President Donald Trump has arrived in Saudi Arabia, the first leg of his three-nation visit to the Middle East this week meant to tackle multiple crises and conflicts across the region. He was welcomed by Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, after Air Force One landed in Riyadh on Tuesday. Trump and the crown prince are to hold talks on U.S. efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, end the war in Gaza, hold down oil prices and more. The prince is also expected to fete Trump with a formal dinner. American and Saudi flags lined the streets of the Saudi capital, along with a noticeable security presence of all American-made police cars.
The media is trying to frame a gift from the nation of Qatar as a groundbreaking piece of corruption on President Trump’s part. See more on Salem News Channel.
Will Cain moved from Fox and Friends weekend to his own daily show and it is soaring in the ratings. Cain sits down with Pags to tell the audience more about his background, why is the show so relatable, why doing the show in Texas is so important to him and what could possibly be a next step in his career.
Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives today will kick off public debate on major pillars of President Donald Trump’s tax cut and budget legislation, navigating choices that may strain their narrow majority.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that he will be waiting for Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Turkish capital this week to conduct face-to-face talks about the more than three-year war. Putin hasn’t yet said whether he will be at the talks. U.S. President Donald Trump has urged the two sides to attend the discussions as part of Washington’s efforts to stop the fighting. Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv he will be in Ankara on Thursday to conduct the negotiations. He said he plans to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the two will wait for Putin to arrive. Zelenskyy said both leaders will travel to Istanbul if Putin chooses to hold the meeting there.
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