Latest news with #BLO
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
US government taking ‘dramatically different approach' using terrorism charges against drug cartels: FBI alum
A former FBI assistant director says the federal government is taking a "dramatically different approach" to how it approaches drug trafficking after several Sinaloa cartel leaders were slapped with terror-related charges. Both Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, were charged with narco-terrorism, material support of terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering on May 13 as members of the Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO), a faction of the Sinaloa cartel. Five additional BLO leaders were charged with drug trafficking and money laundering. It's the first time that cartel members have been hit with terrorism-related charges, which Chris Swecker, former assistant director of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division, told Fox News Digital is intended to send a message. "This administration is taking a dramatically different approach to fighting drug cartels, who are the most powerful criminal organizations on the planet right now," Swecker said. "It is perfect for narco-traffickers because if you can go after anyone who supports these trafficking cartels and leaders and members in any way, if they give them a paperclip, if they provide financial support, if they work for them, they're a hit man." Sinaloa Cartel Leaders Charged With Narco-terrorism After Authorities Seize 1.65 Tons Of Fentanyl "It also gives us some extra territorial punch, if you will. It gives us the ability, if we want to, to dip into foreign countries," he said. Read On The Fox News App Swecker, who has run numerous investigations involving drug cartels, said the Trump administration's decision to use terrorism charges expands the number of people who can be charged, and increases the potential penalties. "This is a serious approach by treating them as terrorists. It increases the penalties that they're exposed to. It ups the ante when it comes to extradition," Swecker said. "It ups the ante when it comes to the seriousness of the charges. They can use RICO, they can use continuing criminal enterprise, they can use now material support to terrorist organizations, so now, all you have to do is be affiliated in any way with a drug cartel, and we can lower a 20-year sentence on you." On Feb. 20, the Trump administration designated the Sinaloa cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Violent Mexican Drug Gang's High Ranking Members Sanctioned By Trump Noriega allegedly worked closely with his son to "aggressively traffic" fentanyl into the United States, prosecutors said, adding that the two have led "one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world." The father and son trafficked "tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl" into the United States, according to federal prosecutors. Mexican law enforcement officials raided several locations in Sinaloa that are managed and controlled by the pair, seizing over 1.65 tons of fentanyl. Indictments are also pending against members of the BLO and Sinaloa cartel, which include Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe, Pedro Inzunza Noriega, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Ismael Zambada Sicairos and Jose Gil Caro Quintero. All individuals, including Noriega and Coronel, remain at-large. Adam Gordon, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California, sent a message to the cartel leaders during a press conference announcing the charges. "Let me be direct: To the leaders of the Sinaloa cartel, you are no longer the hunters. You are the hunted. You will be betrayed by your friends. You will be hounded by your enemies, and you will ultimately find yourself and your face here in a courtroom in the Southern District of California," Gordon article source: US government taking 'dramatically different approach' using terrorism charges against drug cartels: FBI alum
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Time of India
‘No longer the hunters, you're the hunted': US indicts Sinaloa Cartel leaders on narco-terrorism charges
Representative image (Picture credit: ICE) Two top leaders of a violent faction within Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel have been indicted on unprecedented narco-terrorism charges after allegedly trafficking massive amounts of fentanyl into the United States. Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, are now facing terrorism-related offences in a federal case unsealed on Tuesday, as announced by US attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. The pair are accused of leading 'one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world,' said Gordon, who warned cartel leaders during a press briefing, 'You are no longer the hunters. You are the hunted.' The indictment is the first by the department of justice's newly formed Narco-Terrorism Unit and follows the Trump administration's designation of the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in February, under Executive Order 14157. According to the news agency Associated Press, this is a rare move as such labels are typically reserved for politically motivated terrorist groups. The father-son duo, along with five other leaders of the Beltrán Leyva Organization (BLO), a powerful offshoot of the Sinaloa Cartel, have been charged with narco-terrorism, providing material support to terrorism, drug trafficking , and money laundering. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo The BLO has long been known for its brutal tactics including kidnappings, torture and murders, and operates with violent impunity across Mexico and Central America, including Tijuana. Federal officials, citing court documents, allege the Inzunzas trafficked 'tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl' into the US. On December 3, 2024, Mexican law enforcement seized more than 1.65 tons of fentanyl from locations in Sinaloa tied to the duo, reportedly the largest fentanyl seizure globally, according to ICE. 'These charges highlight the unwavering efforts of transnational criminal organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel to flood our communities with deadly drugs,' said Shawn Gibson, ICE HSI 's San Diego special agent in charge. The case stems from 'Operation Take Back America,' a nationwide DOJ initiative to dismantle cartels and transnational crime . US attorney general Pamela Bondi declared, 'Their days of brutalizing the American people without consequence are over, we will seek life in prison for these terrorists.' FBI San Diego's acting special agent in charge Houtan Moshrefi added that the cartel's activities 'not only destroy lives and communities, but also threaten our national security.' Other indicted cartel leaders include Fausto Isidro Meza Flores ('Chapo Isidro'), Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe ('El Musico'), and Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar ('El Chapito'). All remain fugitives. Pedro Inzunza Noriega, also known as 'Sagitario,' reportedly operates from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, and is paralysed following a past attack by rival cartel members, as per AP. The charges carry penalties ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment, including multimillion-dollar fines. The case is being prosecuted by assistant US attorneys Joshua Mellor and Matthew Sutton.
Epoch Times
14-05-2025
- Epoch Times
DOJ Charges High-Ranking Sinaloa Cartel Suspects With ‘Narco-Terrorism'
Federal authorities have charged alleged leaders of the Sinaloa cartel's Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO) with narco-terrorism, terrorism support, and international drug trafficking in what officials called a first-of-its-kind indictment targeting the cartel's role in fueling the U.S. fentanyl crisis. Sinaloa BLO is a powerful and violent faction of the Sinaloa cartel that is believed to be the world's largest known fentanyl production network, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). 'The Sinaloa Cartel is a complex, dangerous terrorist organization and dismantling them demands a novel, powerful legal response,' said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. 'Their days of brutalizing the American people without consequence are over—we will seek life in prison for these terrorists.' The indictment follows President Donald Trump's Executive Order The new charges mark the first time BLO leaders have been prosecuted under narco-terrorism and terrorism statutes tied to fentanyl trafficking, according to DOJ. Pedro Inzunza Noriega, 62, and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, 33, are accused of leading the large-scale fentanyl production and trafficking operations, according to the indictment unsealed on May 13. They face life in prison if convicted on the narco-terrorism charge alone. Related Stories 5/12/2025 5/6/2025 Officials allege the father-son duo worked closely to manufacture and ship tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin into the United States. A December 2024 raid on cartel-controlled sites in Sinaloa uncovered 1,500 kilograms of fentanyl—described by the DOJ as the largest single seizure of the drug in the world. 'Their drugs not only destroy lives and communities, but also threaten our national security,' said FBI acting Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi. Five other BLO leaders were also indicted in the case, which includes charges of drug trafficking, money laundering, and operating a continuing criminal enterprise. The group has allegedly carried out widespread violence in Mexico, including murders, kidnappings, and torture, to enforce control over drug routes and debt collection. The DOJ says the BLO faction is responsible for 'shootouts, murders, kidnappings, torture and violent collection of drug debts to sustain its operations' and 'controls numerous territories and plazas throughout Mexico—including Tijuana—and operates with violent impunity, trafficking in deadly drugs, threatening communities, and targeting key officials, all while making millions of dollars from their criminal activities.' The indictment is the first brought by a newly formed narco-terrorism unit under the Southern District of California. Other major BLO and Sinaloa cartel leaders—including Fausto Isidro Meza Flores ('Chapo Isidro') and Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar ('El Chapito')—also face pending federal charges in related cases. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, with support from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and Operation Take Back America, a DOJ initiative to dismantle transnational cartels and criminal networks.
New York Post
14-05-2025
- New York Post
Sinaloa cartel leaders charged with narco-terrorism after authorities seize nearly 2 tons of fentanyl
Two leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel were hit with narco-terrorism charges on Tuesday for their involvement in allegedly trafficking 'massive' amounts of drugs into the United States, according to federal officials. Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, were both named in an unsealed federal indictment on Tuesday and charged with narco-terrorism, material support of terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering as members of the Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO), which is a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. Advertisement Five other BLO leaders were charged with drug trafficking and money laundering. The charges come after the Trump administration designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on Feb. 20. Prosecutors alleged in court documents that Noriega works closely with his son to both produce and 'aggressively traffic' fentanyl into the United States. 5 Rainbow colored fentanyl pills and fentanyl bricks with 'Louis Vuitton' and 'Rolls Royce' stamps. DOJ Advertisement 5 1,500-kilogram fentanyl seizure associated with the charges. DOJ They allege that the two have led 'one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world.' Authorities said that the father and son have trafficked 'tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl' into the United States. 5 Pedro Inzunza Noriega is the alleged leader of the Beltrán Leyva organization. DOJ Advertisement According to federal prosecutors, Tuesday's indictment is the first of its kind from the Department of Justice's newly formed Narco-Terrorism Unit. On Dec. 3, 2024, Mexican law enforcement officials raided several locations in Sinaloa that are controlled and managed by the pair, seizing more than 1.65 tons of fentanyl. 5 1,680-kilogram cocaine seizure in Mexico City. DOJ Indictments are also pending against members of the BLO and Sinaloa Cartel, which include Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe, Pedro Inzunza Noriega, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Ismael Zambada Sicairos and Jose Gil Caro Quintero. Advertisement All individuals, as well as Noriega and Coronel, remain at-large. 5 This handout picture released on February 17, 2025, by the Mexican Army shows a Mexican soldier dressed in a biosecurity suit dismantling a drug production laboratory in Cosala, Sinaloa State, Mexico. MEXICAN ARMY/AFP via Getty Images Adam Gordon, US Attorney for the Southern District of California, had a message for members of the Sinaloa Cartel during a press conference on Tuesday. 'Let me be direct: To the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, you are no longer the hunters. You are the hunted. You will be betrayed by your friends. You will be hounded by your enemies, and you will ultimately find yourself and your face here in a courtroom in the Southern District of California,' Gordon said.
Boston Globe
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Boston Lyric Opera, Celebrity Series of Boston announce 2025-26 seasons
The remaining three productions are a one-night only performance of 'Ride of the Valkyries!,' an original operatic entertainment starring Christine Goerke and Morris Robinson (Nov. 12); an already-announced concert performance of 'Vanessa' in collaboration with the Boston Symphony Orchestra (Jan. 8 and 10), and an installation of Gustav Mahler's 'Das Lied von der Erde' directed by Anne Bogart and starring Raehann Bryce-Davis and Brandon Jovanovich (March 20-29). The latter will be the first major event BLO will host in its newly renovated Opera + Community Studios in Fort Point. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Though 'Das Lied von der Erde' is a symphonic work with vocal soloists, not an opera, Vernatter said it would be 'fully staged as a dramatic work with a narrative,' on a similar scale to previous BLO productions in nontraditional venues such as 2023's 'Bluebeard's Castle/Four Last Songs' at Flynn Cruiseport. Bryce-Davis will also present a solo recital in the Fort Point venue, on March 24. Subscriptions are available now; single tickets will be available for purchase at a later date. Advertisement Yunchan Lim. James Hole Celebrity Series's upcoming season features dozens of performances across classical, jazz, and dance. Artistic director Nicole Taney said she found it hard to choose which event she was most excited to have on the bill. 'They're all my favorite children,' she said, but shouted out performances by pianist Yunchan Lim (Oct. 22), accordionist Théo Ould (Dec. 2), the Budapest Festival Orchestra with Iván Fischer and members of the Boston Lyric Opera Chorus, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with music director designate Klaus Mäkelä. Further highlights of the subscription season before New Year 2026 include a recital by mezzo-soprano J'Nai Bridges at Groton Hill Music Center (Oct. 9), a return performance by adventurous Nordic roots trio Dreamers' Circus (Oct. 26), a debut series performance by acclaimed young violinist (and current New England Conservatory student) Amaryn Olmeda (Nov. 17), and an evening uniting Third Coast Percussion with choreography by street dance specialists Lil Buck and Jon Boogz (Nov. 22 and 23). This year for the first time, Celebrity Series's free Neighborhood Arts performance series is also included in the season brochure. Taney said she had intended to bring the series, which largely features artists with ties to the Boston area, 'under the same umbrella' as the subscription series. 'It really does showcase all of what we do,' said Taney of the Neighborhood Arts series. The first half of the season includes performances by Grammy-winning jazz trombonist Kalia Vandever with harpist Charles Overton (Sept. 20), violinist Adrian Anantawan (Sept. 27), global music ensemble Biribá Union (Oct. 19 and Oct. 25), Afro-Haitian dance company Jean Appolon Expressions (Nov. 15) and pianist Kevin Harris, who will perform a new suite inspired by the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci (Dec. 6). Advertisement Jean Appolon Expressions. Mika Pasco Subscriptions will be available to the public on May 22, with single tickets for fall performances available Aug. 7. Both organizations typically receive some project-based funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, but they don't expect that will continue in the near future given President Trump's recent cuts to the agency and the termination of grants. Celebrity Series executive director Gary Dunning clarified that the organization received its 2024-25 grant money shortly after New Year 2025, but 'we have not received any notification — which we normally would have — for next year's grant, which we fully expect will never happen.' BLO received an email from the agency on Friday, May 2 informing it that its award had been terminated, effective May 31. Federal grant money was not a critical chunk in the operating budgets for either organization, but BLO general director Bradley Vernatter said he was concerned about the arts sphere as a whole. 'The entire situation is having a profound impact on the arts community, and creating pressures' on both artists and individual philanthropists, he said. 'It has a ripple effect through the entire ecosystem.' BOSTON LYRIC OPERA Advertisement 617-542-6772, CELEBRITY SERIES OF BOSTON 617-482-2595, A.Z. Madonna can be reached at
