On Tuesday, federal prosecutors announced terrorism-related charges against alleged leaders of a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, marking the first time terrorism statutes have been applied in a drug trafficking case. The Justice Department charged Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, with narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and money laundering in connection with their leadership of the Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO), a group described by officials as one of the most prolific fentanyl production and distribution networks in the world.

According to the indictment, five additional BLO leaders were also charged with drug trafficking and money laundering offenses. The charges follow a recent executive order by President Donald Trump, issued in February, which designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).

“The Sinaloa Cartel is a complex, dangerous terrorist organization, and dismantling them demands a novel, powerful legal response,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. “We will pursue life sentences for those responsible for trafficking deadly narcotics into our communities.”

The Justice Department described BLO as one of the most violent drug trafficking groups operating in Mexico. According to court filings, the organization has engaged in a range of violent acts—including shootings, torture, kidnappings, and targeted killings—while overseeing drug smuggling routes through key Mexican territories, including Tijuana.

Authorities allege that Inzunza Noriega and Inzunza Coronel led a large-scale fentanyl operation that trafficked tens of thousands of kilograms of the synthetic opioid into the United States over several years. On December 3, 2024, Mexican law enforcement carried out coordinated raids on locations associated with the organization in Sinaloa, seizing over 1.65 tons of fentanyl—believed to be the largest such seizure on record.

The charges come in the wake of broader policy actions from the Trump administration. On his second day in office, President Trump signed an executive order designating several international criminal organizations—including Mexican drug cartels, Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, and the Salvadoran gang MS-13—as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists. The order cited widespread violence, drug trafficking, and disruption of regional stability as reasons for the designations.

“These organizations have engaged in a campaign of violence and terror throughout the Western Hemisphere,” the order stated, “destabilizing allied nations and contributing to the flow of deadly drugs and violent crime into the United States. In some regions, they operate as de facto governing authorities.”

The case is ongoing, and the Department of Justice has indicated that further legal actions may follow.