A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., has indicted Ivan Cazarin Molina, a 42-year-old Mexican national known as “Tanque,” on charges that he served as a regional commander for the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) and helped traffic cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States over two decades. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the indictment on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
TL;DR: Ivan Cazarin Molina, known as “Tanque,” is charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine for importation into the U.S. between 2005 and 2025, plus a firearm offense. He was arrested October 5 by Mexican authorities in Jalisco. If convicted, he faces at least 40 years in prison and up to two consecutive life terms.
What the Indictment Alleges
According to court documents cited by the Justice Department, Cazarin Molina was a regional commander for the CJNG in Veracruz, Mexico. Prosecutors charge him with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine for importation into the United States, spanning 2005 through 2025. He is also charged with using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm in connection with the drug trafficking conspiracy.
The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit in Los Angeles, and it forms part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, a whole-of-government effort aimed at dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
A Cartel Washington Has Designated a Terrorist Group
The CJNG is one of Mexico’s most powerful and violent criminal organizations, and on February 20, 2025, the U.S. Secretary of State designated it as a foreign terrorist organization. That designation reflects the group’s role in flooding American communities with drugs, including methamphetamine and cocaine, and in using intimidation and violence to protect its trafficking routes.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva said the indictment “sends a clear message that the Department of Justice will find all leaders and commanders of drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations and prosecute them for their destruction of our communities through drug trafficking and violence.” DEA Administrator Terrance Cole said that for two decades Cazarin Molina allegedly helped fuel CJNG trafficking operations, adding that “the era of impunity for cartel leaders is over.”
Arrest in Mexico and What Comes Next
Cazarin Molina was arrested on October 5 by Mexican law enforcement authorities in Jalisco, the state where the cartel was founded. The Justice Department has not announced an extradition timeline, and the next steps will depend on proceedings in both countries. Prosecutors from the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit and its Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section are handling the case.
It is important to note what an indictment is and is not: it is a formal allegation, not a finding of guilt. Cazarin Molina is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, however, the penalties are severe — a mandatory minimum of 40 years in prison and a maximum of two consecutive life terms.
The indictment is the latest in a series of U.S. actions targeting senior cartel figures, part of a stated strategy of pursuing not just street-level dealers but the commanders who direct trafficking networks from abroad. Whether the case reaches a U.S. courtroom will be one of the key questions to watch in the months ahead.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice press release, October 22, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ivan Cazarin Molina?
Cazarin Molina, 42, is a Mexican national known as “Tanque.” According to the U.S. Justice Department, he was a regional commander for the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) in Veracruz, Mexico.
What is he charged with?
He is charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine for importation into the United States, and with possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking offense.
When was he indicted?
A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned the indictment on Thursday, October 22, 2026, as announced by the U.S. Department of Justice.
When was he arrested?
He was arrested on October 5, 2026, by Mexican law enforcement authorities in Jalisco, Mexico.
What drugs and quantities are involved?
The indictment covers five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, allegedly trafficked for importation into the U.S. between 2005 and 2025.
What penalty does he face if convicted?
If convicted, Cazarin Molina faces a minimum of 40 years in prison and a maximum of two consecutive life prison terms.
What is the CJNG?
The Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion is a major Mexican criminal organization. On February 20, 2025, the U.S. Secretary of State designated it as a foreign terrorist organization.
Is Cazarin Molina guilty?
No determination of guilt has been made. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Who investigated the case?
The DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit in Los Angeles investigated the case, which is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative.
Has he been extradited to the United States?
The Justice Department’s announcement did not state an extradition timeline; he was arrested in Mexico, and further proceedings will determine whether he faces trial in a U.S. court.
