Federal authorities said Tuesday they have sued the top two leaders of the Mexican drug cartel and provided up to $8 million in rewards to obtain information that led to their arrest and conviction.
Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga and Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga were accused of participating in the conspiracy to produce cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl, and said at a U.S. press conference in Atlanta that the drugs were imported and distributed among U.S. drugs. In September, the grand jury returned to the new three unsealed indictments.
The two brothers are La Nueva Familia MichoacanaAuthorities say this is a Mexican cartel officially designated by the U.S. government in February as a “foreign terrorist organization.”
“If you contribute to the death of Americans by selling poisons into our community, we will work tirelessly to find you and bring you to justice,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.
The State Department will provide up to $5 million in information that leads to the arrest and/or conviction of Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga, up to $3 million in order to obtain information about Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, who is also named after “Strawberry.” Both men are in Mexico, officials said.
The U.S. Treasury Department announced new sanctions on Wednesday against two men and two other cartel leaders, which the U.S. designated as a “foreign terrorist organization.”
According to U.S. prosecutors, in addition to drug trafficking, Familia Michoacana Cartel also engages in blackmail, kidnapping and murder.
Raul Aguilar / AP
Last year, a Mexican human rights group reported that a community in the southern state of Guerrero was allegedly attacked by drones and gunmen from the La Familia Mimocana drug cartel. At least Six people were killed The state attorney’s office said 13 more people were injured.
In 2023, cartel is suspected of leaving Cut off human legs Found hanging on the footbridge west of Mexico City. Officials said the trunk of the body remained on the street near the city center, as well as handwritten signs signed by the family Mimokana Cartel.
The cartel “has used drones to throw bombs on its competitors, completely ignoring Mexican civilians,” the U.S. Treasury Department said Wednesday. “They also intimidate the local community through kidnapping, murder and blackmail.”
In 2022, a person recognizes himself as one of the leaders of the cartel A video was posted Claiming it was an attack on social media Killed 20 people It was actually aimed at him.
