The Trump administration took a major step Tuesday night in its effort to dismantle violent drug cartels, flying 37 accused cartel members from Mexico to the United States in what officials described as the largest transfer of its kind. The move underscores an intensified crackdown on transnational criminal organizations and adds pressure on the Mexican government to continue cooperating with U.S. law enforcement.
According to the Department of Justice, the group includes alleged human smugglers, arms traffickers, and senior figures tied to some of the most notorious cartels operating across the United States. Among those named are individuals linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, Cártel del Noreste, Cártel del Golfo, the Gulf Cartel, La Linea, and the former Beltrán-Leyva Organization.
The FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration confirmed that Mexican authorities participated in the transfer. Officials said this marks the third time Mexico has invoked its National Security Law to send fugitives north, and the scale of the operation suggests a new level of cooperation between the two countries. U.S. officials said Mexico’s involvement signals a growing willingness to confront cartel violence alongside American authorities.
Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the operation as a milestone in the administration’s broader strategy to destroy cartel networks. She said the individuals transferred will now face justice on American soil for crimes committed against the American people. Bondi described the suspects as members of foreign terrorist organizations and thanked international partners for their cooperation, promising swift and comprehensive prosecutions.
Among those brought to the United States was Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez, who prosecutors allege supplied grenades to CJNG and took part in illegal immigrant smuggling, firearms trafficking, bulk cash smuggling, and narcotics trafficking. The Justice Department said her activities played a direct role in supporting cartel operations that impact communities across the U.S.
Two other suspects, Eduardo Rigoberto Velasco Calderon and Eliomar Segura Torres, were transferred after allegedly laundering cartel drug proceeds through cryptocurrency transactions. According to prosecutors, the pair moved money on behalf of both CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel, highlighting how criminal organizations are increasingly exploiting digital currencies to evade law enforcement.
Another high-profile figure included in the transfer was Heriberto Hernández Rodriguez, a member of Cártel del Noreste. The DOJ alleges he was responsible for drug trafficking, kidnappings, assassinations, and weapons procurement for the cartel. Prosecutors say Hernández Rodriguez commanded hundreds of sicarios and ordered multiple killings between 2006 and 2022.
He is also accused of overseeing security for cartel stash houses in Mexico that served as staging points for massive drug shipments into the United States, including thousands of kilograms of marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
The transfer also included Pedro Inzunza Noriega, the first Sinaloa Cartel leader charged with terrorism offenses. In addition to terrorism charges, he faces allegations related to drug trafficking and money laundering. Prosecutors say Inzunza Noriega and his son operated one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world, moving tens of thousands of kilograms of the deadly drug into the U.S.
Mexican authorities raided multiple drug sites tied to the father-son operation in December 2024, seizing 1,500 kilograms of fentanyl in what officials described as the largest fentanyl seizure in world history. Inzunza Noriega’s son was killed during a capture operation last year, and the elder cartel leader was arrested by the Mexican military weeks later.
The transfer comes as President Donald Trump continues to warn that U.S. military action against cartels operating in Mexico remains on the table. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said last week after speaking with Trump that such action would be unnecessary, even as cooperation between the two governments appears to be increasing.
