Atlanta's battle against drug cartels intensified with recent federal indictments targeting members of La Nueva Familia Michoacana (LNFM), a notorious Mexican drug syndicate. The charges, initially filed in September 2024 and recently unsealed, involve two siblings believed to be top figures within the cartel: Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga, aka "El Pez," and Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, known as "El Fresa."
The U.S. Department of Justice, in a statement, outlined charges that include conspiracy to manufacture and distribute controlled substances like heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl—all destined for American streets. Both brothers, currently on the run in Mexico, are also facing conspiracy charges to import these substances into the United States. U.S. Attorney's Office laid out the charges, making clear its intent to find and prosecute these individuals.
In a coordinated federal crackdown, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) rolled out sanctions against both Hurtado Olascoagas and their associates. The U.S. State Department has also taken significant steps, branding LNFM as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and offering rewards totaling up to $8 million for information leading to the Hurtado brothers' arrest.
Atlanta-based Franco Tabares Martinez, another high-ranking member of LNFM, faces charges for his alleged role in distributing methamphetamine, adding more layers to this sprawling case. His sister Guadalupe Tabares Martinez, purportedly involved in laundry operations for the cartel's drug proceeds, was also indicted by a Northern District of Georgia federal grand jury. These collective efforts exemplify the government's robust approach to not only chase down these key players but to also systematically choke off their funding streams and cripple their distribution networks.
