The United States Department of Justice has unsealed indictments against four alleged members of Mexico’s powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), accusing them of negotiating to obtain weapons and ammunition in the Czech Republic in exchange for illegal drugs.
The four suspects were arrested in the Czech Republic in June, according to US Justice Department officials. Two of the defendants, Edgar Alejandro Lopez Velasco, 44, and Jose Miguel Alvarado Morales, 23, have since been extradited to the United States and appeared in federal court in Tampa, Florida, on Monday.
Extradition proceedings remain pending for the other two defendants, Noe Diaz Jimenez, 33, and Leobardo Gaxiola Lopez, 63, also known as “Bado.”
The four suspects face charges including conspiracy to import controlled substances, firearms trafficking and other offences that carry a potential maximum sentence of life imprisonment if convicted.
According to the Justice Department, Lopez Velasco and Diaz Jimenez allegedly negotiated weapons purchases in the Czech Republic for use against rival drug cartels, civilians, police officers and military personnel in Mexico.
The alleged weapons deal involved various types of European machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, mortar systems and associated ammunition and military equipment.
In return, the defendants allegedly offered fentanyl and methamphetamine that had been imported into the United States for distribution.
The US authorities said the case forms part of a broader effort to disrupt CJNG’s leadership and international criminal operations.
The latest charges come shortly after Washington announced additional measures against senior members of the cartel and increased financial rewards for information leading to the capture of its leaders. The US government has offered rewards totalling more than $100 million, including $25 million for information leading to the arrest of alleged cartel leader Juan Carlos Gonzalez, also known as “Pelón.”
According to the US State Department, Gonzalez was born in Santa Ana, California, in 1984.
The department said the charges and reward programme were intended to help “cripple” the cartel’s leadership as the administration of President Donald Trump continues to intensify pressure on Mexico and other Latin American countries over security and organised crime.
CJNG is among several Mexican cartels designated by the United States as foreign terrorist organisations.
The organisation suffered a major setback in February when its former leader, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, popularly known as “El Mencho,” was killed during a Mexican military operation. US authorities said Washington provided intelligence support for the operation.
His death was followed by an increase in violence in parts of Jalisco State, as rival factions and criminal groups reportedly competed for influence.
In a further escalation of pressure on the cartel, the Trump administration last month imposed sanctions on 50 individuals and companies allegedly linked to CJNG, including Gonzalez. The measures freeze assets under US jurisdiction and restrict transactions involving the sanctioned entities.
The US Treasury Department also issued a banking alert in June warning financial institutions about suspected CJNG-related financial activity.
The latest indictments underscore Washington’s broader effort to disrupt the cartel’s drug trafficking, weapons procurement and financial networks both inside Mexico and internationally.
