The U.S. government has announced a massive reward of up to $8 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of two brothers accused of running the notorious La Nueva Familia Michoacana (LNFM) cartel, responsible for trafficking large quantities of illicit drugs, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine into the United States.
Johnny and Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, the co-leaders of the LNFM cartel, were charged by a federal grand jury in Georgia on Tuesday with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute controlled substances knowing they would be imported into the U.S. The indictment was returned in September 2024 but was recently unsealed.
According to the Department of Justice, the LNFM cartel is responsible for transporting over 36 metric tons of methamphetamine, 12 metric tons of Mexican heroin, and 12 metric tons of cocaine per year from Mexico into the United States. The cartel has also been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the State Department.
In addition to poisoning Americans, the group has engaged in acts of terror and violence within Mexico, including utilizing drones to drop bombs on its rivals and terrorizing local communities through kidnappings, killings, and extortion.
The U.S. government is offering a reward of up to $5 million for the capture of Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga and $3 million for the detainment of Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga. The Treasury Department has also announced new sanctions against the brothers and their siblings, LNFM members Ubaldo Hurtado Olascoaga and Adita Hurtado Olascoaga.
“This is a significant step in our efforts to disrupt and dismantle these violent cartels,” said F. Cartwright Weiland, Senior Bureau Official at the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. “We will continue to work with our international partners to bring these perpetrators to justice.”
The U.S. government has promised to crack down on the flow of deadly drugs into the country, and this reward is a testament to that commitment. The DEA estimates that the LNFM cartel has been responsible for poisoning Americans with its illicit activities.
The case highlights the complex nature of international crime and the need for cooperation between law enforcement agencies to disrupt and dismantle these organizations.
Source: Fox News
