Federal prosecutors have, for the first time, charged alleged Sinaloa Cartel leaders with narco-terrorism and material support of terrorism in connection with trafficking fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin into the United States.
According to an indictment unsealed this week, Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, are identified as top figures in the Beltrán Leyva Organization (BLO), a violent faction of the Sinaloa Cartel believed to operate the world’s largest known fentanyl production network.
Court documents describe the BLO as one of Mexico’s most violent drug trafficking organizations, responsible for widespread acts of brutality, including murders, kidnappings, torture, and armed clashes, to maintain its grip on power.
In addition to the father and son, five other BLO members are charged with drug trafficking and money laundering.
“BLO, under the leadership of Inzunza Noriega, is allegedly responsible for some of the largest-ever drug seizures of fentanyl and cocaine destined for the United States,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Their drugs not only destroy lives and communities, but also threaten our national security. The law enforcement efforts against the Noriegas reaffirms our commitment to dismantling and disrupting this very dangerous narco-terrorist group and combating narco-trafficking.”
Federal officials say the Inzunzas have trafficked tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl into the U.S. in recent years. On Dec. 3, 2024, Mexican authorities raided several cartel-controlled locations in Sinaloa and seized 1,500 kilograms—more than 1.65 tons—of fentanyl, marking the largest fentanyl seizure ever recorded worldwide.
“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.”
