April 22, 2025 – Washington, D.C.
The U.S. government has intensified its crackdown on the notorious Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang by offering a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Yulan Adonay Archaga Carías, the alleged leader of MS-13 in Honduras. The announcement, made by the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs under its Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP), underscores the Trump administration’s prioritization of dismantling MS-13, recently designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) on February 20, 2025. Archaga Carías, also known by aliases “Porky” and “Alexander Mendoza,” is considered one of the most dangerous figures in transnational organized crime, with ties to drug trafficking, murder, and money laundering across Central America and the United States.
A Notorious Figure in Transnational Crime
Yulan Adonay Archaga Carías, a 43-year-old Honduran national, is accused of orchestrating MS-13’s extensive criminal operations in Honduras, making him the highest-ranking member of the gang in the country. According to a 2021 superseding indictment unsealed in the Southern District of New York, Archaga Carías faces charges of racketeering conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession and conspiracy to possess machine guns. Federal authorities allege that he has facilitated the transportation of multi-ton loads of cocaine through Honduras to the United States, supplied drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) with firearms, including machine guns, and ordered numerous murders of rival gang members, drug trafficking competitors, and even disloyal MS-13 members.
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“Archaga Carías is a terrorist whose reign of terror at the helm of MS-13 is coming to an end,” said FBI Director Kash Patel in a statement. “Dismantling and ultimately eliminating MS-13 continues to be one of the FBI’s highest priorities, and we’re not stopping until that mission is complete.”
The indictment further details Archaga Carías’s role in contracting MS-13 members as “sicarios” (hitmen) to DTOs, providing protection for cocaine shipments and committing murders for hire. His operations have also involved laundering drug proceeds through businesses controlled by MS-13, amplifying the gang’s influence in the region.
A Violent Escape and Ongoing Manhunt
Archaga Carías’s notoriety escalated following a brazen escape from Honduran custody in February 2020. While being transported to a courthouse in El Progreso, approximately 28 kilometers from San Pedro Sula, for a hearing on charges related to the homicide of two Honduran prosecutors, Archaga Carías was freed by an MS-13 squad. Over 20 armed men, disguised in military and police uniforms, stormed the courthouse, using a decoy prisoner to create confusion. The violent operation resulted in the deaths of multiple Honduran police officers, with at least five fatalities reported. Security footage captured the orchestrated chaos, highlighting the gang’s audacity and resources.
Since his escape, Archaga Carías is believed to remain in Honduras, though his exact whereabouts are unknown. Authorities have placed him on multiple most-wanted lists, including the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, the DEA’s Most Wanted Fugitives, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI)’s Most Wanted Fugitives. His addition to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list in November 2021 marked him as the 526th fugitive to receive this designation, replacing Robert William Fisher. Initially, the FBI offered a $100,000 reward, which was increased to $5 million in February 2023, reflecting the growing urgency to apprehend him.
MS-13’s Designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization
The recent designation of MS-13 as an FTO and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by the U.S. government has elevated the stakes in the pursuit of Archaga Carías. This classification, announced on February 20, 2025, allows U.S. authorities to deploy broader resources and legal tools to combat the gang’s activities. MS-13, predominantly Salvadoran but with significant operations in Honduras, Guatemala, and the United States, is infamous for its brutal tactics, encapsulated in its motto “Mata, Viola, Controla” (kill, rape, control). The gang’s involvement in murders, kidnappings, extortion, and large-scale drug trafficking has terrorized communities across the Western Hemisphere.
“This terrorist leader can no longer be allowed to live free as MS-13’s evil devastates communities in America and throughout the western hemisphere,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “If you can contribute information leading to his arrest – come forward now.”
The FTO designation has also amplified international cooperation, with U.S. agencies like the FBI, DEA, and ICE HSI working alongside Honduran authorities and regional partners. The Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), established in 2019 to target MS-13, has been instrumental in coordinating these efforts, bringing together resources from the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security.
A Call for Public Assistance
The U.S. government is urging anyone with information on Archaga Carías’s whereabouts to come forward, emphasizing that tips can be submitted anonymously and that identities will be kept confidential. Contact options include emailing [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]), calling U.S. investigators at +1-202-451-8122 or +504-8886-7166 (available via WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal), or reaching out to the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. In the United States, individuals can contact local FBI, DEA, or HSI offices. Only tips provided directly to U.S. authorities qualify for the $5 million reward.
Archaga Carías is described as a Hispanic male, 5’5” tall, weighing 160 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Born on February 13, 1982, in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, he is believed to speak only Spanish and is considered armed and extremely dangerous. Authorities have warned the public not to approach him but to report any information immediately.
The Broader Fight Against MS-13
The pursuit of Archaga Carías is part of a larger U.S. strategy to dismantle MS-13, which has an estimated 10,000 members in the United States alone and significantly more across Central America. The gang’s operations have been a key driver of violence and migration from the Northern Triangle countries (Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador). In El Salvador, President Nayib Bukele’s aggressive campaign has led to the incarceration of over 80,000 suspected MS-13 members in “Terrorism Confinement Centers,” significantly disrupting the gang’s activities in that country. However, its operations in Honduras, led by figures like Archaga Carías, remain a formidable challenge.
The $5 million bounty is seen as a strategic move to destabilize MS-13’s leadership. “The arrest of such a prominent leader as El Porky creates suspicion, division, and instability within MS-13, particularly among the top leadership,” said Robert F. Clifford, a former FBI agent and director of the MS-13 National Gang Taskforce. The high reward also incentivizes informants, who weigh the risks against the potential financial gain.
Sanctions and International Pressure
In addition to the bounty, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has sanctioned Archaga Carías under Executive Order 13581, placing him on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List. These sanctions block his property and financial assets in the U.S., further limiting his operational capacity. Similar measures have been applied to other MS-13 associates, such as David Elias Campbell Licona, a key..