Mexican authorities arrested and gave to the U.S. a suspected leader of the international criminal gang MS-13, who is accused of conspiracy to provide and hide material support and resources to terrorists and narco-terrorism and was on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” profile.

FBI Director Kash Patel described Francisco Javier Román-Bardales as a “key senior leader” of Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, in a statement. Román-Bardales was apprehended on the Teocelo-Baxtla highway in Veracruz, Mexico, according to a joint statement from Mexico’s Ministry of Defense, Navy, Attorney General’s Office, National Guard, and 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,”

according to a statement.

In his statement, Patel praised Mexican authorities for arresting and handing over Román-Bardales, describing the arrest as 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 occurred shortly after Mexico’s attorney general’s office and the security ministry revealed the transfer of 29 drug cartel members to the U.S. This handover marks Mexico’s largest in years, featuring Rafael Caro Quintero, a suspected head of a Mexican drug cartel, who faces charges for the 1985 murder of a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent. According to the White House, Caro Quintero is “one of the most evil cartel leaders in the world.”

Why Francisco Javier Román-Bardales was one of the most wanted?

The arrest of Román-Bardales by Mexican authorities was the result of collaboration among different international agencies. They discovered that he was active in Baxtla, a small town located in Teocelo municipality within the state of Veracruz.

According to authorities, security teams were deployed to conduct “fixed, mobile, and discreet” surveillance 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.

The FBI reported that Román-Bardales was sought for his suspected role in overseeing MS-13 operations across the U.S., Mexico, and El Salvador. The agency had announced a reward of up to $250,000 for information that would lead to his capture.

“Román-Bardales has been charged with several offences 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 stated.

According to the FBI, a federal arrest warrant for Román-Bardales was issued by prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York in 2022. 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 exactly is the MS-13 gang?

Last month, the U.S. State Department classified MS-13 as one of eight Latin American criminal organisations designated as foreign terrorist groups.

According to the State Department, MS-13 is a transnational group that started in Los Angeles but “shifted to Central America as individuals were deported there from the United States.” The department stated that the gang enlists new members, orchestrates operations, and “propagates violence” across multiple nations, such as El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States.

“MS-13 has conducted numerous violent attacks, including assassination and the use of IEDs and drones, against El Salvador government officials and facilities,” in line with 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.”