Jalisco New Generation Cartel Co-founder Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking

Érick Valencia Salazar, widely known as "El 85" and a co-founder of the formidable Mexico-based Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), has entered a guilty plea to drug trafficking charges. This development was announced by the US Department of Justice (DOJ).

Valencia Salazar, who was apprehended by the Mexican army in 2022, was among 29 alleged drug lords extradited to the United States in February 2025. He changed his initial not guilty plea to admit guilt on one count of conspiracy to distribute a significant quantity of cocaine.

CJNG: A Ruthless Organisation

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) highlighted Valencia Salazar's pivotal role in establishing CJNG as a "ruthless organisation that uses violence as a business model". The cartel is known for its brutal tactics in Mexico and its extensive distribution of illicit drugs within the United States. His sentencing is set for 31st July, where he faces a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years.

The CJNG remains one of Mexico's most powerful criminal organisations. Recent reports of its leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, "El Mencho", having died following capture, triggered a wave of violence across 20 Mexican states. The US designated the CJNG as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation, intensifying efforts against these groups which are perceived as threats to international stability.