US targets United Cartels, offering a $26 million reward for five of its members

The United States Department of Justice on Thursday offered a $26 million reward for information leading to the arrest of five high-ranking members of Cárteles Unidos, known in English as United Cartels, while the Treasury Department separately announced it would impose sanctions on the group.

This marks the latest chapter in U.S. President Donald Trump’s broad offensive against drug trafficking, particularly the flow of fentanyl into the country, which he cites as the reason for the imposition of tariffs on Mexico and Canada. Last week, the president ordered the military to combat foreign drug cartels, potentially paving the way for operations abroad.

United Cartels, a less well-known cartel than some of its rivals that controls large areas of Michoacán, was designated a “foreign terrorist organization” on February 20 by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Department of Justice considers it one of the “most prolific” producers of methamphetamine and argues that the proceeds from illicit drug sales are used to acquire weapons, hire mercenaries, and bribe local officials.

The State Department is offering a $10 million reward for Juan José Farías Álvarez, also known as “El Abuelo;” $5 million each for Alfonso “Poncho” Fernández Magallón and Nicolás “El Gordo“ Sierra Santana; and $3 million each for Luis Enrique ”Güicho“ Barragán Chávez, and Edgar ”El Kamoni” Orozco Cabadas. They are accused of being part of long-standing criminal networks involved in producing and distributing drugs — including methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl — and illegally importing them into the United States.

“Cárteles Unidos began as an alliance of smaller cartels in the state of Michoacán, Mexico, to prevent the incursion of larger cartels and criminal organizations into Michoacán, including Knights Templar and more recently Jalisco New Generación (CJNG),” said the statement from the State Department.

It continued: “Members of the Cárteles Unidos, and their associates, are involved in the large-scale production of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Michoacán territory that they control. Cocaine is acquired from Colombia and then forwarded into the United States using some of the same transportation channels used to ship methamphetamine and fentanyl into the United States.”

Meanwhile, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the Treasury Department has sanctioned United Cartels, another well-known Mexican cartel, Los Viagras, and seven associated individuals for their involvement in terrorism, drug trafficking, and extortion in Mexico’s agricultural sector.

“Treasury’s action, taken pursuant to counternarcotics and counterterrorism authorities, further implements President Trump’s directive to eliminate completely cartels and transnational criminal organizations threatening the American people,” said the statement from the Treasury.

Earlier this week, Mexico extradited more than two dozen alleged cartel members to the United States for their links to drug trafficking groups. The transfer of the 26 detainees marks the second such operation this year. In February, Mexico also sent 29 other suspected cartel leaders. Federal prosecutors in New York separately announced criminal charges against several cartel leaders, including Servando Gómez Martínez of La Familia Michoacana and three leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel.

In February, President Trump designated eight different criminal gangs and cartels — including the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation, Northeast Cartel, New Michoacán Family, Gulf Cartel, and United Cartels — as foreign terrorist organizations.

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