Drug Cartel Leaders Charged with Heroin Trafficking and Financial Sanctions Imposed

Rodolfo Maldonado-Bustos, known as “Don Jose,” and Euclides Camacho-Goicochea, known as “El Quilles,” leaders in the La Nueva Familia Michoacana drug cartel, have been charged by a federal grand jury with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin and conspiracy to import heroin into the United States. Both are believed to be residing in Mexico and are currently fugitives.

On June 20, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) announced financial sanctions against both Camacho-Goicochea and Maldonado-Bustos.

“These actions demonstrate that in addition to holding cartel leaders accountable for their crimes, we are working together with our partners at the Treasury Department to hit the cartels’ criminal operations where it hurts the most – their profits,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will continue to mobilize a whole-of-government effort to disrupt the cartels profiting from the drug trafficking and human smuggling that devastate communities and endanger our national security.”

“These cartel members allegedly imported massive amounts of heroin from Mexico to the Atlanta area and elsewhere in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The federal indictments in conjunction with the recent imposition of OFAC sanctions send a strong message that our office, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, will relentlessly investigate, prosecute, and defund individuals around the globe who import deadly drugs into our communities.”

“Denying drug cartels the profits earned from distributing poison in our communities is an essential tool in DEA’s efforts to combat these drug cartels,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA Atlanta will continue to attack the La Nueva Familia cartel on all fronts by arresting its members, as well as seizing their drugs and assets.”

“IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are highly skilled financial investigators who can unravel complex schemes cartels use to hide their money,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS-CI and other members of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces will continue working together to bring these international criminals to justice.”

The investigation into the Mexico-based La Nueva Familia Michoacana cartel began in September 2016 by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). Maldonado-Bustos was identified as a high-level cartel member coordinating the manufacturing of large quantities of heroin in Mexico. He allegedly directed the harvesting of opium, procured chemicals for processing it into heroin, and supplied Camacho-Goicochea and others for distribution in the United States, including Atlanta, Georgia, and Houston, Texas. Camacho-Goicochea allegedly managed the collection and return of drug proceeds to Mexico.

In early 2017, agents seized over $580,000 in drug proceeds in the Atlanta area destined for the cartel in Mexico.

Maldonado-Bustos, 59, and Camacho-Goicochea, 51, both from Guerrero, Mexico, face charges of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin and conspiracy to import heroin into the United States. Camacho-Goicochea also faces a charge of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. The indictments were returned in August 2017 and have been recently unsealed.

The public is reminded that the indictments contain only charges. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.