A powerful Mexican criminal syndicate, active in national drug trafficking and violence
Drones have been neutralized near World Cup venues and team camps as Mexico enforces Plan Kukulkán. Authorities warn spectators and participants; Canada and the U.S. remain on alert as violence linked to cartel activity and political risk continues to influence preparations across host cities.
Authorities from the US and Mexico are expanding efforts to combat cross-border crime, including sanctions against cartel-linked entities and measures targeting fuel theft networks that fund violence. The actions come as Washington and allied governments seek to disrupt illicit revenue streams and curb drug trafficking across the region.
The United States has designated the Juárez Cartel and Los Viagras as foreign terrorist organizations. The move, published in the Federal Register, expands the roster of Mexican criminal groups treated as terrorists amid ongoing U.S. pressure on Mexico over security and border policy.
Ismael Zambada Garcia has received a life sentence in Brooklyn federal court for leading the Sinaloa Cartel and for racketeering and continuing criminal enterprise. Prosecutors say the cartel flooded the United States with cocaine, fentanyl and other drugs for decades, while his defense notes his age and health needs.
César Gastélum, a TikTok influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers, has been killed while livestreaming in Culiacán as two gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire. The attack adds to years of cartel-driven bloodshed in the region. Authorities have launched investigations and security operations are under way.
The United States has announced a broad enforcement drive against the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), charging five senior leaders and unveiling bounties. The actions follow the cartel’s alleged drug trafficking operations and a fraud scheme targeting elderly Americans, with a call to crack down on cartel influence in Mexico and beyond.
César Gastélum has been killed on a Tuesday night in Culiacán, Sinaloa, while livestreaming with friends. A motorcyclist pulled up and shot him at close range before fleeing. Authorities say some posts he published referenced a criminal group, and officials are investigating whether his online content or associations contributed to the targeting. The killing adds to a pattern of influencer murders linked to cartel violence in the region.
The US has expanded a crackdown to label and sanction Latin American criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations. The move targets cartels such as Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Cartel, aiming to pressure groups and allies across the region. The approach has triggered tensions with regional governments and revealed contradictions in policy.