The publication
Are There Cartels in Washington? CJNG, Tren de Aragua, 2 Federal Cases and Evidence (2026)
Which Mexican cartels and transnational gangs are reported in Washington, what federal prosecutors have charged since 2024, and our latest Washington 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 Washington-specific evidence: CJNG, Tren de Aragua, Sinaloa Cartel
- Federal drug-trafficking cases since Jan 2024: 2 (2 sentenced)
- Cities in those cases: Tacoma, Washington, Spokane
How to read this page
- Reported presence comes from DEA, Congressional Research Service, Justice Department and news reports that name Washington 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 Washington
- CJNG (Congressional Research Service, Seattle, as of 2024): “The Jalisco Cartel maintains illicit drug distribution hubs in Los Angeles, Seattle, Charlotte, Chicago, and Atlanta.” [U.S. Department of Justice]
- Tren de Aragua (federal court case, as of 2026): “Charges have been filed across six U.S. Attorney offices, including the Districts of Colorado, Southern Florida, Northern Indiana” [GlobalSecurity.org (mirroring DOJ release), 2026-05-11]
- Sinaloa Cartel (Treasury sanctions, as of 2026): “As a cell leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, Gonzalez Penuelas operates primarily in Sinaloa, Mexico with U.S.-based distribution cells in California, Texas, Colorado, Washington, Utah, and Nevada.” [U.S. Department of the Treasury, 2026-05-20]
- Tren de Aragua (federal court case, as of 2026): “Charges have been filed across six U.S. Attorney offices, including the Districts of Colorado, Southern Florida, Northern Indiana, Middle Tennessee, Western Tennessee, and Eastern Washington for offenses that include firearms trafficking, drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, among others.” [GlobalSecurity.org, 2026-05-11]
Federal cases in Washington (since Jan 2024)
| Date | City | Charges | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-14 | Tacoma, Washington | Sentenced | USAO-WDWA | |
| 2025-07-18 | Spokane | drug trafficking and firearms offenses as a member of a Jalisco Cartel-linked drug trafficking organization flooding Eastern Washington and Montana, including T Release names: CJNG |
Sentenced 19 years in federal prison (found guilty by jury April 16, 2 |
DEA |
Our Washington coverage
No stories yet. New coverage appears here automatically.
Last reviewed: September 30, 2026. Report errors via our corrections page.