US Directs Dismantling of Criminal Cartels in Western Hemisphere

JD Supra Trade Law

Published March 9th, 2026

Detected March 10th, 2026

Summary

The US government has issued an executive order directing federal agencies to dismantle criminal cartels and transnational gangs operating in the Western Hemisphere. The order mandates coordination with allied governments, military training for partner nations, and the use of all legal authorities to counter cartel-driven violence and corruption.

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What changed

This executive order, issued on March 9, 2026, directs the federal government to dismantle criminal cartels and transnational gangs operating in the Western Hemisphere. Key directives include coordinating with allied governments to deny these organizations territorial control and resources, training and mobilizing partner nation militaries to counter cartel violence, strengthening multilateral cooperation through initiatives like the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, and utilizing all legally available authorities to counter cartel-driven violence, corruption, and malign external influence.

Government agencies involved in national security, law enforcement, and foreign policy will need to develop and implement strategies to achieve these objectives. This will likely involve increased inter-agency and international cooperation, resource allocation for training and intelligence sharing, and the potential application of new or existing legal authorities against targeted organizations. While no specific compliance deadline for regulated entities is mentioned, the directive implies an immediate operational focus for government bodies.

What to do next

Review inter-agency directives related to cartel dismantling and transnational gang disruption.
Assess existing cooperation mechanisms with Western Hemisphere governments for potential enhancement.
Identify and report on any legal authorities that could be further leveraged against cartel operations.

Source document (simplified)

March 9, 2026

Commitment to Countering Cartel Criminal Activity (Trump EO Tracker)

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Directs the federal government to dismantle criminal cartels and transnational gangs operating in the Western Hemisphere, coordinate with allied governments to deny these organizations territorial control, financing, and resources, train and mobilize partner nation militaries to counter cartel violence and intimidation, strengthen multilateral cooperation through initiatives such as the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, and use all legally available authorities to counter cartel driven violence, corruption, and malign external influence.

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