The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has declared Pedro Inzunza Coronel and his father, Pedro Inzunza Noriega, both members of the Beltrán Leyva faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, as narcoterrorists.
In a press conference, U.S. authorities indicated that both are accused of trafficking tons of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl to the United States.
DOJ Executive Assistant Attorney General Victor Cuén emphasized that this is the first time the United States has charged Sinaloa Cartel leaders with drug trafficking.
“Pedro Insunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Insunza Coronel, are accused of terrorism and drug trafficking. Court documents describe them as leaders of one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world, operating under the Beltrán Leyva faction of the Sinaloa Cartel,” he stated.
The charges against Pedro Insunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Insunza Coronel, were filed in a courtroom in San Diego, California.
During the address to the media, Cuén emphasized that the Donald Trump administration took this step to prevent the Sinaloa Cartel from expanding further.
“Narco-terrorists operate like a cancer within the state. If left unchecked, their growth would lead to the destruction of law and order,” he concluded.
Which Mexican cartels have been declared terrorist by the US?
It was in February of this year that Donald Trump made it official, declaring six Mexican organized crime groups as terrorist organizations.
The cartels that received this designation were:
Sinaloa Cartel
Jalisco New Generation Cartel
Northeast Cartel
Gulf Cartel
New Michoacan Family
United Cartels
The indictment comes after the United States government reached an agreement with Ovidio Guzmán, one of the former leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel.
“El Ratón,” as he is known, was extradited from Mexico to the US in September 2023. Ovidio Guzmán, one of the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, agreed to plead guilty to drug trafficking and money laundering charges at a hearing on July 9.
As part of the negotiations, Ovidio Guzmán’s mother and 16 other family members surrendered to US authorities at the San Ysido border crossing in Tijuana, confirmed Omar García Harfuch, Secretary of Security.
“The family that left was not a target nor was it wanted by the Mexican authorities,” he said in an interview with Ciro Gómez Leyva. However, Griselda López Pérez, Ovidio Guzmán’s mother, is accused of her alleged involvement in drug trafficking and evading authorities.
Who are “Sagittarius” and “El Pichón”?
Gordon said that to combat the cartels as terrorist organizations, since he was appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Southern California on April 11, he formed a Narcoterrorism Unit that collaborated in the investigation and filing of the charges.
The official assured that from now on, drug trafficking leaders will face “a manhunt” from both their friends and their enemies.
“We will pursue them until they finally face their fate in a federal court in Southern California,” he stated.
The two defendants, Pedro Inzunza Noriega, known as “Sagittarius,” and Pedro Inzunza Coronel, nicknamed “El Pichón,” began trafficking cocaine from Colombia to the United States decades ago, according to court documents.
The indictment says they more recently became involved in trafficking fentanyl and synthetic drugs.
Source: elfinanciero
