Admin I Wednesday, Sept 24, 2025
WASHINGTON D.C. – The United States has imposed sanctions on a transnational criminal organizations, Barrio 18, designating it as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
This action, a part of the Trump Administration’s ongoing efforts to combat organized crime, aims to dismantle the gang’s operations and disrupt its revenue streams.
Barrio 18 is one of the largest and most violent gangs in the Western Hemisphere, known for its brutal attacks against security forces, government officials, and civilians in countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.
In a statement, Secretary of State, Marco Rubio said the gang’s activities pose a direct threat to U.S. national security by trafficking illicit drugs and engaging in other criminal enterprises that finance its violent operations.
The designation, made under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, will allow the U.S. government to freeze the gang’s assets, block financial transactions, and impose travel restrictions on its members.
These measures are designed to cripple the organization’s ability to operate and protect the American public from its reach.
The move, which comes into effect upon publication in the Federal Register, underscores the U.S. commitment to keeping “illicit drugs off our streets and disrupting the revenue streams funding the violent and criminal activity of vicious gangs and drug cartels.”
