DEA Administrator Terry Cole said Wednesday that the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) is one of the most dangerous criminal organizations globally.
The designation underscores the escalating threat posed by the cartel's violence and drug trafficking operations, which have directly impacted public safety in the U.S. and Mexico.
Speaking at a U.S. government conference on anti-narcotics and corruption, Cole said the group's activities caused the deaths of thousands of Americans [1]. He described the CJNG as violent and prolific in its drug trafficking efforts [1], positioning the organization as a primary target for international law enforcement.
Financial incentives to dismantle the group's leadership remain high. The U.S. Department of Justice has offered rewards exceeding 100 million dollars [2] for information leading to the capture of CJNG leaders. These efforts coincide with broader investigations into the group's diversified criminal portfolio, including a timeshare scam that reportedly siphoned 400 million dollars [3].
Law enforcement pressure on the organization has intensified recently. In the early days of 2026, authorities reported the arrest of 21 individuals [4] linked to the CJNG, including operators and assassins. These arrests reflect a coordinated effort to disrupt the cartel's operational capacity and logistics networks.
The DEA continues to monitor the group's ability to distribute illicit substances across borders. The agency's focus remains on the intersection of cartel violence and the systemic corruption that allows these organizations to operate with relative impunity in certain regions [1].
“The CJNG is one of the most dangerous criminal organizations globally.”
The DEA's public labeling of the CJNG as a top-tier global threat signals a shift toward more aggressive pursuit of its leadership. By highlighting both the human cost—thousands of American deaths—and the group's financial diversification into scams, the U.S. government is building a case for treating the cartel not just as a drug syndicate, but as a multifaceted transnational criminal enterprise that requires a combination of military, judicial, and financial pressure to dismantle.
