Guns Trafficked to Mexican Cartels Could Result in Terrorism Charges for ‘Straw Purchasers,’ Officials Say

Federal officials on the southern border say the president’s designation of cartels as terrorist organizations put more teeth in gun trafficking enforcement.

A sign displaying "No firearms in Mexico" its outside a border entry point in Naco AZ, on March 5, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

Federal law enforcement officials along the U.S. Southern Border warned U.S. citizens that the Trump administration has added a new wrinkle to the crime of trafficking guns and cash into Mexico.

They said the Trump administration’s designation of Mexican Cartels as international terrorist organizations doesn’t just impact how the U.S. government deals with cartel and gang members from other countries.