US charges leaders of 'brutal Mexican cartel,' offers $8M reward for brothers' capture

The U.S. is offering an $8 cardinal reward for accusation starring to the apprehension and condemnation of 2 brothers accused of moving a "brutal Mexican cartel" that has been "poisoning Americans" with fentanyl and different illicit drugs trafficked crossed the border. 

Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga and Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, the co-leaders of the La Nueva Familia Michoacana (LNFM), were charged by a national expansive assemblage successful Georgia connected Tuesday, with conspiracy to manufacture and administer heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl knowing those controlled substances would beryllium imported into the United States, among different counts, according to the Justice Department. Both fugitives are believed to beryllium successful Mexico. 

"President Trump has promised to ace down connected the travel of deadly drugs into our country," F. Cartwright Weiland, a Senior Bureau Official successful the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, said successful a statement.  

"Working with the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of State is delivering connected that committedness by offering rewards totaling up to $8 cardinal for accusation starring to the apprehension and/or condemnation of the Hurtado brothers," helium added. 

MEXICAN DRUG LORD CONVICTED IN KILLING OF DEA AGENT ENRIQUE ‘KIKI’ CAMARENA IS FREED 

Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga, left, and Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, right, are the co-leaders of the La Nueva Familia Michoacana (LNFM) cartel, according to the State Department. (State Department)

The DEA, according to the State Department, estimates that LNFM "is liable for the transportation, importation, and organisation of implicit 36 metric tons of methamphetamine, 12 metric tons of Mexican heroin, and 12 metric tons of cocaine per twelvemonth from Mexico into the United States." 

The cartel was designated arsenic a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the State Department connected Feb. 20. 

"LNFM is simply a cause trafficking enactment chiefly based successful the Mexican states of Guerrero and Michoacan that has trafficked fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine to the United States, and that has laundered the proceeds of these illicit drugs done the U.S. fiscal system," the Treasury Department said. 

"In summation to poisoning Americans, the radical has engaged successful acts of panic and unit wrong Mexico. For instance, LNFM has utilized drones to driblet bombs connected its rivals, with utter disregard for Mexico’s civilian population. They besides terrorize section communities done kidnappings, killings, and extortion," it continued. 

BONDI, PATEL ANNOUNCE SEIZURE OF OVER $509 MILLION IN COCAINE LINKED TO CARTELS 

Images of Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga and Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, who are accused of participating successful a conspiracy to manufacture cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl and conspiracy to import and administer the drugs successful the United States, are displayed during a quality league connected Tuesday, April 15, successful Atlanta.  (AP/Brynn Anderson)

A reward of up to $5 cardinal is being offered by the State Department for the seizure of Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga, portion a $3 cardinal fig is being offered for the detainment of Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga. 

The indictments against the brothers were returned successful September 2024 and were precocious unsealed, according to the Justice Department. 

"In addition... the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced caller sanctions against Johnny and Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga and their siblings, LNFM members Ubaldo Hurtado Olascoaga and Adita Hurtado Olascoaga," the bureau besides said. 

An $8 cardinal reward is being offered for accusation starring to the apprehension and condemnation of Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga and Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga (AP/Brynn Anderson)

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"The indictment of elder leaders of this brutal Mexican cartel and consequent OFAC sanctions makes 1 happening clear, we are coming aft these transgression networks and utilizing each limb successful our arsenal," said Special Agent successful Charge Steven N. Schrank of Homeland Security Investigations successful Georgia and Alabama.