The U.S. Justice Department has filed criminal charges against five senior leaders of Carteles Unidos, also known as the United Cartels, a major Mexican drug trafficking organization designated as a foreign terrorist entity. This action represents the latest effort by U.S. authorities to combat significant Mexican drug operations. Concurrently, the Treasury Department announced sanctions targeting the group. The charges and sanctions follow an investigation that included an incident involving a car accident in a small town in Tennessee, which contributed to the case against the cartel. The Justice Department highlighted the role of extensive police work in securing the indictments against these high-ranking cartel members.