Two prominent figures from the Sinaloa cartel faced serious charges related to narcoterrorism on Tuesday, following allegations of significant drug trafficking operations directed at the United States, according to federal officials.
Pedro Insunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Insunza Coronel, were named in a recently unsealed federal complaint. They’re accused of facilitating narcoterrorism, providing material support for terrorism, drug trafficking, and money laundering as part of the Bertrand Leiva organization (BLO). Additionally, five other leaders from BLO are similarly charged with drug trafficking and money laundering.
This wave of charges came after the Trump administration designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a foreign terrorist organization on February 20th.
Prosecutors argued in court that Noriega collaborated closely with his son, actively documenting their transportation of fentanyl into the United States. They claim this duo led one of the largest and most intricate networks for fentanyl production globally.
Authorities indicated that the father and son were responsible for trafficking tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl into the U.S. Notably, Tuesday’s indictment marks a first for the Department of Justice’s newly established narcoterrorism unit.
Back on December 3, 2024, Mexican law enforcement executed raids on several locations in Sinaloa linked to these individuals, resulting in the seizure of over 1.65 tons of fentanyl.
Additional charges also loom over members of both the BLO and Sinaloa cartel, involving figures like Fausto Isidro Meza Flores and others. Remarkably, Noriega and Coronel, along with others, still remain at large.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Adam Gordon, a lawyer from the Southern District of California, directed a message at the Sinaloa Cartel leaders.
“To the leaders of the Sinaloa cartels, you are no longer the hunters. You have now become the hunted. Friendships will betray you, enemies will trouble you, and ultimately, you’ll find your way to court in the Southern District of California,” Gordon stated.
