One of the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” fugitives, Francisco Javier Román-Bardales, has been extradited from Mexico to the U.S., where he faces charges linked to violent crime, drug trafficking and extortion.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the arrest and extradition Tuesday, calling it a major win for law enforcement and public safety.
Román-Bardales, who authorities describe as a high-ranking leader of the MS-13 gang, was taken into custody on a highway in Veracruz. The operation was carried out by Mexican security forces in coordination with U.S. agencies.
Patel announced the extradition on X, stating that Román-Bardales was arrested in Mexico and was being transported within the U.S. to face justice.
“I can now confirm that last night, working with @TheJusticeDept and other interagency partners, the FBI has extradited one of our ‘Ten Most Wanted’ from Mexico—one we believe to be a key senior leader of MS-13, Francisco Javier Román-Bardales,” Patel wrote.
He thanked U.S. and Mexican authorities for their cooperation, adding, “This is a major victory both for our law enforcement partners and for a safer America.”
He was then transferred to Mexico City before being deported to the U.S.
The FBI claims that Francisco Javier Román-Bardales was a key figure in orchestrating MS-13’s criminal activities across the U.S., Mexico and El Salvador. Authorities believe he was involved in directing acts of violence, drug trafficking and extortion schemes tied to the gang.
In September 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York issued a federal arrest warrant against him, charging him with multiple offenses, including conspiracy to provide and conceal material support to terrorists, narco-terrorism conspiracy, racketeering conspiracy and alien smuggling conspiracy, according to the FBI.
Authorities believe Román-Bardales was involved in ordering numerous violent attacks against civilians and rival gangs. He is also accused of overseeing drug distribution and extortion rackets across multiple countries.
Mexican security chief Omar García Harfuch praised the arrest and extradition, emphasizing the role of international cooperation in bringing Román-Bardales to justice. A statement from Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office confirmed that he was informed of his legal rights before being transferred to the U.S., Click Orlando reports.
His extradition is part of Mexico’s broader crackdown on organized crime. In recent weeks, Mexico handed over 29 cartel members to the U.S., including Rafael Caro Quintero, the drug lord responsible for the 1985 murder of a U.S. DEA agent. Mexican authorities have also intensified operations against the Sinaloa Cartel, a major trafficker of fentanyl to the U.S.
The arrest follows a U.S. decision in February to designate MS-13 and other violent foreign gangs as Global Terrorist Organizations, The Post Millennial reports. Secretary of State Marco Rubio justified the designation by stating that these groups “pose a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism that threaten the security of United States nationals or the national security.”
MS-13, originally formed in Los Angeles by Salvadoran immigrants, has since evolved into an international criminal network responsible for brutal violence, human trafficking, and drug distribution.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has been working to strengthen security cooperation with U.S. President Donald Trump, aiming to demonstrate that Mexico is a reliable partner in the fight against organized crime. These efforts have helped Mexico avoid most of Trump’s proposed tariffs on Mexican imports.
The Trump administration has also been cracking down on MS-13 leaders. Over the weekend, two top members of the gang were deported to El Salvador, along with hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants, according to Click Orlando.
Román-Bardales is expected to face trial in the Eastern District of New York, where U.S. prosecutors will seek to hold him accountable for his alleged role in MS-13’s transnational criminal activities.
