First Terrorism Indictments Announced Over Drug Cartel Support

Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed its first indictment against a foreign national for providing material support to a Mexican drug cartel that the current administration recently designated a foreign terrorist organization (FTO).¹ Specifically, Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez of Mexico is alleged to have facilitated firearms, narcotics, cash, and human trafficking on behalf of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). CJNG is one of eight Latin American criminal groups designated an FTO by the U.S. Department of State in February because of their threats to U.S. national security interests by jeopardizing the border through money laundering, bribery, extortion of migrants, and acts of violence and intimidation.² Under the same indictment, two other individuals were named for conspiracy to smuggle people across the border, drug possession, and firearms and drugs trafficking. All three defendants are fugitives.