U.S. Files First Narco-Terrorism Charges Against Sinaloa Cartel Leaders: 'Not Just Drug Traffickers'

In an unprecedented legal move, federal prosecutors in San Diego have filed the first-ever narco-terrorism charges against leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel—treating them not just as drug traffickers, but as terrorists. The sweeping indictment targets the top tier of the Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO), a violent faction of the Sinaloa Cartel now accused of operating the world's most prolific fentanyl production network.

At the heart of the case are Pedro Inzunza Noriega, 62, known as "Sagitario," and his 33-year-old son Pedro Inzunza Coronel, also known as "Pichon" or "Bird." Prosecutors say the father-son duo oversaw a sprawling drug empire that trafficked tens of thousands of kilos of fentanyl into the U.S.—some of it disguised as rainbow-colored pills or stamped with Louis Vuitton and Rolls Royce logos to boost appeal and signal cartel control.

The charges follow President Trump's 2025 executive order designating the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, giving prosecutors access to powerful counterterrorism laws normally used against groups like al-Qaeda. "These are not just drug traffickers," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "They are terrorists whose product is mass death."

The scale of the cartel's operation is staggering. On December 3, 2024, Mexican law enforcement raided multiple BLO-controlled sites in Sinaloa, seizing 1,500 kilograms of fentanyl—the largest haul in recorded history, and enough to kill hundreds of millions. Days later, authorities in Mexico City seized 1,680 kilograms of cocaine linked to the same network. Packaging featured logos like "Incredibles" and "R," further highlighting how the cartel brands its drugs to reinforce territory and influence.

In total, seven people were indicted:

• Pedro Inzunza Noriega ("Sagitario"), from Los Mochis, Sinaloa
• Pedro Inzunza Coronel ("Pichon"/"Bird"), also from Los Mochis
• David Alejandro Heredia Velazquez ("Tano"/"Mr. Jordan"), linked to Guadalajara and Culiacán
• Oscar Rene Gonzalez Menendez ("Rubio"), from Guatemala City
• Elias Alberto Quiros Benavides, based in San José, Costa Rica
• Daniel Eduardo Bojorquez ("Chopper"), from Nogales, Sonora
• Javier Alonso Vazquez Sanchez ("Tito"/"Drilo"), from Los Mochis

Authorities say the group not only trafficked lethal drugs and laundered millions, but also operated with the kind of violent impunity seen in war zones—using torture, murder, kidnappings, and armed enforcement to control Mexican territories like Tijuana and secure trafficking routes into the U.S.

The case marks the first indictment from the Justice Department's newly launched Narco-Terrorism Unit in Southern California and falls under Operation Take Back America—a broader effort to dismantle transnational criminal networks using joint power from ICE, the FBI, and the OCDETF. Prosecutors say this case sends a clear message: cartel leaders who once operated like shadow governments are now being treated as what they truly are—national security threats.