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Mexico arrested and handed the U.S. an alleged leader of the international criminal gang MS-13 who was on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” suspects, officials announced Tuesday.
Francisco Javier Román-Bardales is believed to be a “key senior leader” of the Mara Salvatrucha or MS-13 gang, FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement on X. Román-Bardales was arrested Monday on the Teocelo-Baxtla highway in Veracruz, Mexico, according to a joint statement from Mexico’s Defense Ministry, Navy, Office of Attorney General, the National Guard and the Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection.
“The suspect was informed of the reason for his arrest, read his legal rights, and will be transferred to Mexico City, where he will be taken to the appropriate authorities, and subsequently deported to the United States where he is wanted,” the statement added.
Patel praised Mexican authorities for the arrest and handover of Román-Bardales, calling it a “major victory both for our law enforcement partners and for a safer America.” As of Tuesday morning, Román-Bardales was being transported within the U.S., according to Patel.
Román-Bardales’ extradition came just weeks after Mexico’s attorney general’s office and the security ministry confirmed that officials were handing over 29 drug cartel figures to the U.S.
The handover was Mexico’s largest in years and included Rafael Caro Quintero, an alleged Mexican drug cartel leader who is charged in the 1985 murder of a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent. The White House previously described Caro Quintero as “one of the most evil cartel leaders in the world.”
Over the weekend, the Trump administration sent 23 MS-13 members, including two alleged ringleaders, who had been arrested in the U.S. to El Salvador. The administration also deported hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants in apparent defiance of court orders.
The recent handovers follow ongoing threats by President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on Mexican goods. The president has demanded better border security and more cooperation on drug enforcement in exchange for pausing the tariffs.
Who is Francisco Javier Román-Bardales?
Mexican authorities said the arrest of Román-Bardales resulted from cooperation between various international agencies. Authorities learned that Román-Bardales was operating in the area of Baxtla, a small town located in the municipality of Teocelo and the Mexican state of Veracruz.
After obtaining further information, authorities said security teams were deployed to conduct “fixed, mobile, and discreet” surveillance work to find Román-Bardales — also known as “El Veterano de Tribus” or the Veteran of Tribes.
“Intelligence work indicates that this individual, a Salvadoran national, belongs to a Salvadoran criminal group with an international presence,” Mexican authorities said in the joint statement.
According to the FBI, Román-Bardales was wanted for his alleged involvement in the direction of MS-13 activity in the U.S., Mexico, and El Salvador. The agency had previously offered a reward of up to $250,000 for information leading to his arrest.
“Román-Bardales has been charged with several offenses for his alleged role in ordering numerous acts of violence against civilians and rival gang members, as well as his role in drug distribution and extortion schemes in the United States and El Salvador,” the FBI said.
Prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York issued a federal arrest warrant for Román-Bardales in 2022, according to the FBI. He faces charges of conspiracy to provide and conceal material support and resources to terrorists; narco-terrorism conspiracy; racketeering conspiracy; and alien smuggling conspiracy.
What is the MS-13 gang?
The MS-13 gang was one of eight Latin American criminal organizations designated as a foreign terrorist group by the U.S. Department of State last month.
According to the State Department, MS-13 is a transnational organization that originated in Los Angeles but “shifted to Central America as individuals were deported there from the United States.” The department said the gang recruits, organizes, and “spreads violence” in several countries, including El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, and the U.S.
“MS-13 has conducted numerous violent attacks, including assassination and the use of IEDs and drones, against El Salvador government officials and facilities,” according to the State Department. “Additionally, MS-13 uses public displays of violence to intimidate civilian populations to obtain and control territory and manipulate the electoral process in El Salvador.”
Contributing: Bart Jansen, USA TODAY; Reuters