By Oluchi Omai
WASHINGTON D.C., 14 August 2025 — The United States Department of State has announced reward offers totalling up to $26 million for information leading to the arrests or convictions of five key figures linked to the Mexican criminal organisation Cárteles Unidos.
The announcement was made through the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, under the Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP). The individuals named are believed to be central to the group’s operations in Michoacán, Mexico, where they are reportedly involved in large-scale production and trafficking of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine.
The reward breakdown is as follows:
Juan José Farías Álvarez, also known as “El Abuelo” – up to $10 million
Nicolás Sierra Santana, “El Gordo” – up to $5 million
Alfonso Fernández Magallón, “Poncho” – up to $5 million
Luis Enrique Barragán Chávez, known as “R5,” “Wicho,” or “Güicho” – up to $3 million
Edgar Orozco Cabadas, “El Kamoni” – up to $3 million
Cárteles Unidos began as a coalition of smaller cartels in Michoacán, formed to resist the expansion of larger criminal groups such as the Knights Templar and, more recently, the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). The group has since become a major player in drug trafficking, using established routes to move narcotics from Mexico into the United States.
The reward offers follow the designation of Cárteles Unidos as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity by the Secretary of State on 20 February 2025. These measures are part of a broader effort to disrupt transnational crime and bring fugitives to justice.
In addition to the reward offers, the Department of Justice has issued indictments against the named individuals in the District of Columbia and the Eastern District of Tennessee. The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has also imposed sanctions on the five men and seven other members of the organisation.
Anyone with credible information is encouraged to contact Homeland Security Investigations via the following emails:
AbueloTips@hsi.dhs.gov
GordoTips@hsi.dhs.gov
PonchoTips@hsi.dhs.gov
R5Tips@hsi.dhs.gov
KamoniTips@hsi.dhs.gov
Individuals outside the United States may also report information at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, while those within the country can reach out to their local HSI field office. All identities will be kept strictly confidential. Government officials and employees are not eligible for the rewards.
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