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  Two High Ranking Members of the United Cartels Charged with Drug Trafficking, Providing Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and Firearms Offenses As Part of Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Initiative

  US Department of Justice

  July 2, 2026

  A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment yesterday against Juan Jose “Juanjo” Farias Mendoza, 31, and Israel “Papo” Vega Farias, 37, both of Tepalcatepec, Michoacan, Mexico, and high-ranking members of the United Cartels. The Michoacan-based United Cartels is one of the world’s most significant methamphetamine producers, capable of manufacturing multiple tons every month. The organization controls a distribution network that spans the United States, with hubs in Dallas; Houston; Atlanta; Kansas City, Missouri; Sacramento, California; Los Angeles; Denver; and Chicago; and extends to Europe, Australia, and other regions. On Feb. 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of State designated the United Cartels (also known as Cárteles Unidos), as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, as amended.

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  Europol’s Cyber Defenders wins 2026 European Ombudsman Award for Good Administration

  Europol

  July 2, 2026

    Europol has won the 2026 European Ombudsman Award for Good Administration for Cyber Defenders, a free game developed to help children recognise and respond to threats they may encounter online. The project won both the overall award, selected from 48 projects nominated across EU institutions, and the category prize for Excellence in Technological Innovation and the Use of AI. The award was presented to Europol by European Ombudswoman Teresa Anjinho at a ceremony in Brussels on 30 June.

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  AMLA and EDPB to develop Joint Guidelines on partnerships for information sharing

  AMLA

  July 2, 2026

  AMLA and the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) are working together to bring greater clarity to a question of growing importance for industry and authorities alike: how to share information to fight financial crime while protecting personal data.