Erick Valencia-Salazar, a California man who co-founded the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a federal narcotics conspiracy charge.
Salazar was arrested in Tapalpa in 2022 for conspiring to send thousands of kilograms of cocaine to the US on behalf of the CJNG. His transfer to the US was part of a collaborative effort with the Mexican government, to ensure th...
The strongest version of this narrative highlights a significant victory in the U.S.-Mexico collaboration against transnational drug cartels. Salazar’s guilty plea and extradition represent a tangible step in dismantling the CJNG’s leadership, a cartel responsible for widespread violence and instability. The U.S. designation of the CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization underscores the severity of the threat, while the long-standing pursuit of Salazar and El Mencho—spanning over 15 years—demon...