The publication
Are There Cartels in Louisiana? Tren de Aragua, MS-13, 2 Federal Cases and Evidence (2026)
Which Mexican cartels and transnational gangs are reported in Louisiana, what federal prosecutors have charged since 2024, and our latest Louisiana coverage. Every item links to its source.
Cartels in the U.S.: map and all states · Mexico cartel map
At a glance
- Groups reported with Louisiana-specific evidence: Tren de Aragua, MS-13, Gulf Cartel
- Federal drug-trafficking cases since Jan 2024: 2 (2 charged)
- Cities in those cases: Lafayette, New Orleans, LA
How to read this page
- Reported presence comes from DEA, Congressional Research Service, Justice Department and news reports that name Louisiana or a city in it. It shows where groups have been reported, not how many people are involved.
- Federal cases are Justice Department, U.S. Attorney, DEA, FBI and HSI announcements since January 2024. We name a cartel only when the release itself does; other cases are listed as drug-trafficking cases. Charged people are presumed innocent until convicted, so we don’t list defendants’ names here. Follow the link to read the release.
- What it doesn’t tell you: cartel activity in your neighborhood, or crime rates. It is a record of what officials and reporters have published.
Nationwide: the DEA’s 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment says associates, facilitators and affiliates of the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG operate in almost all 50 U.S. states. [Small Wars Journal (summary of DEA NDTA 2025), 2025-05-18] The state-by-state evidence below goes further: named cities, federal cases and official reports.
Groups reported in Louisiana
- Tren de Aragua (news report, as of 2025) [Shreveport-Bossier Advocate]
- MS-13 (federal court case, as of 2020): “approximately 20 MS-13 cliques in the United States, including in… Rhode Island, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and the District of Columbia” [U.S. Department of Justice]
Federal cases in Louisiana (since Jan 2024)
| Date | City | Charges | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-10 | Lafayette | 12-count indictment charging 11 alleged members of a DTO that imported drugs from Gulf Cartel sources of supply in Mexico; conspiracy to possess with intent to Release names: Gulf Cartel |
Charged n/a |
FBI |
| 2025-09-02 | New Orleans, LA | Charged | DEA |
Our Louisiana coverage
Last reviewed: September 30, 2026. Report errors via our corrections page.