The United States has announced rewards totaling up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of two senior leaders of the transnational gang MS-13, a move Washington says is part of its expanding campaign against organized crime and drug trafficking across the Americas.
According to a statement issued by US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott, the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs has increased the reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of alleged MS-13 leader Yulan Adonay Archaga Carias, also known as “Porky,” to up to $10 million. A separate reward of up to $5 million has been announced for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Victor Eduardo Morales Zelaya.
US authorities accuse both men of leading Mara Salvatrucha, better known as MS-13, in Honduras and participating in drug trafficking, money laundering, murder, kidnapping, and other criminal activities. Washington further alleges that the pair played major roles in facilitating cocaine shipments into the United States.
Archaga Carias remains one of the most wanted fugitives sought by US authorities. FBI has described him as the alleged top MS-13 leader in Honduras and has linked him to racketeering conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons-related offenses.
The latest reward announcement reflects a broader trend in US security policy, where increasingly large financial bounties are being offered for foreign criminal suspects. In recent years, Washington has placed multimillion-dollar rewards on cartel leaders, gang bosses, and individuals accused of international drug trafficking. Similar reward programs have targeted figures associated with Mexican cartels and other transnational networks.
However, critics argue that such measures often focus on individual fugitives while failing to address the deeper political, economic, and social conditions that enable criminal organizations to flourish. Central America has experienced decades of instability, poverty, corruption, and migration pressures, factors that many analysts say have contributed significantly to the growth of gangs such as MS-13.
MS-13 itself emerged from complex historical circumstances involving migration, deportation policies, and transnational criminal networks. While US officials frequently portray the organization primarily as a foreign threat, researchers and policymakers have long noted that the gang’s development was influenced by events that stretched across both Central America and the United States.
The reward announcement also comes amid a major escalation in Washington’s approach toward transnational criminal organizations. In February 2025, the US government designated MS-13 and several major cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, placing them in the same category as internationally recognized terrorist groups. The designation expanded the legal authorities available to US agencies and increased pressure on financial networks associated with these organizations.
Supporters of the policy argue that criminal groups engaged in large-scale violence, extortion, and narcotics trafficking pose a direct threat to public safety and national security. They contend that stronger enforcement measures are necessary to disrupt criminal networks operating across borders.
Others, however, warn that labeling criminal organizations as terrorist groups could blur important legal distinctions and potentially expand US security powers beyond traditional law enforcement frameworks. Some experts have expressed concern that increasingly militarized approaches may not produce long-term reductions in organized crime without corresponding investments in economic development, governance reforms, and anti-corruption efforts.
The United States remains one of the world’s largest markets for illegal narcotics, a reality that continues to fuel highly profitable trafficking networks across Latin America. Critics frequently note that while Washington devotes substantial resources to pursuing cartel and gang leaders abroad, demand within the United States remains a major driver of the illicit drug trade.
The latest reward offers therefore highlight a recurring challenge in US anti-drug policy. While arrests and prosecutions can disrupt criminal organizations, new leaders often emerge to replace those who are captured or killed. The persistence of trafficking routes and criminal enterprises has led some observers to question whether enforcement-focused strategies alone can deliver lasting results.
For now, US authorities are urging anyone with information about Archaga Carias or Morales Zelaya to come forward. The State Department says both men remain fugitives and are considered key figures in MS-13’s operations in Honduras.
The reward announcement underscores Washington’s determination to pursue transnational criminal organizations. Yet it also revives a broader debate about whether increasingly larger bounties and tougher security measures can solve problems rooted in decades of regional instability, economic inequality, and the enduring demand for narcotics within the United States itself.
