High-Ranking MS-13 Leader Arrested in Mexico in Joint U.S.-Mexico Operation

Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list, faces deportation to the U.S. on charges of narco-terrorism and racketeering.

Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, an alleged MS-13 leader, was captured in Veracruz, Mexico, during a coordinated operation between Mexican and U.S. authorities.
Roman-Bardales is accused of overseeing MS-13’s violent and criminal activities across the U.S., Mexico, and El Salvador, including drug trafficking and extortion.
The FBI had issued a $250,000 reward for his capture, listing him among its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives since 2022.
The arrest is part of Mexico's National Security Strategy, which aims to target violence-generating individuals and strengthen international law enforcement collaboration.
Roman-Bardales will be deported to the United States to face charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, racketeering, and providing support to terrorists.