US charges five members of Mexico’s United Cartels, announces reward up to $26 million

Carteles Unidos’s members who are facing charges include its leader, Juan Jose Farias Alvarez, also known as El Abuelo, along with Alfonso Fernandez Magallon, Luis Enrique Barragan Chavez, Edgar Orozco Cabadas, and Nicolas Sierra Santana.

State Department announces $26 million reward

On Thursday, the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs also announced reward offers under the Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP) for information leading to the arrests and convictions of the cartel leaders.

A total of $26 million has been announced as a reward for information on the cartel leaders, with Farias Alvarez carrying the maximum reward – $10 million.

Rewards for information on other Carteles Unidos range from $3 million to $5 million.

“Members of the Carteles Unidos, and their associates, are involved in the large-scale production of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Michoacán territory that they control.  Cocaine is acquired from Colombia and then forwarded into the United States using some of the same transportation channels used to ship methamphetamine and fentanyl into the United States,” the State Department said.

Treasury Department sanctions United Cartels

The US Treasury Department also announced sanctions against United Cartels, as well as another cartel known as Los Viagras and against seven affiliated individuals.

“Today’s sanctions action draws further attention to the diverse, insidious ways the cartels engage in violent activities and exploit otherwise legitimate commerce,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.

Mexico hands over 26 cartel members to US

Earlier, on Tuesday, Mexican authorities had sent 26 high-ranking cartel figures to the United States as part of a major deal with the Trump administration.

US had designated CJNG, Sinaloa cartel and others as foreign terrorist organisation. (Photo: Reuters)

This includes Abigael González Valencia, a leader of “Los Cuinis,” a group closely aligned with the Jalisco New Generation and members of the Sinaloa Cartel.

In February, the US had designated CJNG, Sinaloa cartel, Tren de Aragua, MS-13, Cártel del Noreste, La Nueva Familia Michoacana, Cártel de Golfo, and Cárteles Unidos as foreign terrorist organizations.