Federal Charges Against CJNG Members

Four individuals linked to the Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) are facing federal charges in the United States connected to acquiring advanced weaponry, including RPGs and machine guns, from the Czech Republic, along with drug manufacturing and smuggling activities.

These individuals made their initial court appearance in Florida this week, following a series of charges outlined in a criminal complaint. They had been arrested in the Czech Republic before being extradited to the U.S.

The accused are Edgar Alejandro López Velasco, 44; Noe Diaz Jimenez, 33; Leobardo Gaxiola “Bado” López, 63; and Jose Miguel Alvarado Morales, 23. Each faces numerous charges linked to drug-related conspiracy, terrorism, narcoterrorism, drug trafficking, and arms trafficking, with the potential for life sentences.

Prosecutors claim that López Velasco acted on behalf of leading figures within CJNG. Diaz Jimenez reportedly operated a fentanyl lab in Mexico, while Gaxiola López served as a broker for guns and drugs. Alvarado Morales was said to be an operative for another high-ranking CJNG member.

Claims indicate that in February 2026, López Velasco and Diaz Jimenez orchestrated the procurement and transport of weapons from the Czech Republic to Mexico, financed through drugs smuggled into the U.S. A coordinated effort among law enforcement agencies led to their arrest in the Czech Republic in June. Additionally, on June 12, Mexican police raided Diaz Jimenez’s lab in Zapopan, Jalisco.