The Trump administration dramatically increased the reward for information leading to the capture of Juan Carlos González, also known as “Pelón,” announcing Wednesday that it will now pay up to $25 million for information resulting in the arrest of the U.S. citizen who is believed to be leading Mexico’s most powerful drug cartel.

The reward, previously set at $5 million, is part of a broader crackdown on the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). In total, the administration announced $100 million in rewards targeting top cartel figures while also imposing visa restrictions on relatives and business associates connected to cartel leadership.

Federal officials said the latest actions, combined with newly unsealed criminal charges against five additional senior cartel leaders, are intended to weaken the organization’s command structure as President Donald Trump intensifies pressure on Mexico and other Latin American countries to strengthen efforts against transnational criminal organizations.

“These sophisticated organizations use violence and fear to maintain control over the importation of deadly narcotics in the United States, including fentanyl, cocaine, meth, and other illegal drugs. Their actions spread violence and death to our communities,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters in Washington.

CJNG is one of eight Mexican cartels the United States has designated as a foreign terrorist organization. The cartel suffered a major setback in February when its longtime leader, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” was killed in an operation carried out by the Mexican military with intelligence assistance from the United States. The operation was followed by a surge of violence across the Mexican state of Jalisco.

Authorities believe González, the stepson of Oseguera Cervantes and a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen, assumed control of the cartel after his stepfather’s death. Officials say the criminal organization operates across a wide range of industries, from avocado production to international drug trafficking.

Wednesday’s announcement follows sanctions imposed by the United States several weeks ago against 50 individuals and companies allegedly tied to CJNG, including González. Those sanctions froze assets under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibited financial dealings with the designated individuals and entities.

Officials describe CJNG as Mexico’s largest cartel, with operations spanning 21 of the country’s 32 states and an international footprint that includes significant activity inside the United States.

The Trump administration has continued to increase pressure on Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government to intensify its campaign against the cartels, at times warning that military action against the criminal organizations remains an option.

Among those named in the newly unsealed indictments are Julio Alberto Castillo Rodriguez, the former son-in-law of Oseguera Cervantes, and Hugo Gonzalo Mendoza Gaytan, whom authorities identified as the slain cartel leader’s godson. Officials said all of the defendants face charges related to drug trafficking and firearms offenses.

“This is a fight against CJNG that we are just beginning, and we will not back down,” Terrance Cole, head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, told reporters.

{Matzav.com}