Chinese National Money Launderer Wenshen Xu Sentenced to 12 Years in U.S. Court for Cocaine Smuggling and Material Support to Mexican Cartel CJNG's Terrorism

Alexandria, United States

Wenshen Xu, a Chinese national and money launderer based in Honduras, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison in U.S. federal court for assisting a Mexican drug cartel with cocaine smuggling and money laundering. The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced on October 29 (local time) that Chinese national Wenshen Xu, 52, who was extradited from Guatemala, was sentenced that day to 12 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $22 million money judgment.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Xu was sentenced for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, conspiring to launder money derived from drug trafficking, and providing material support to a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). The case number is 1:25-cr-231.

Smuggling Network Equipped with Airstrips, Airports, and Armored Vehicles

According to court records, Xu used transportation networks and contacts in Central and South America to smuggle multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine into the United States. His transportation network had access to airstrips, airports, armored vehicles, couriers, and co-conspirators.

Court records show that from around November 2023 until their arrest, Xu and his co-conspirators brought more than 450 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. They also coordinated the laundering of over $22 million generated by drug trafficking organizations through the sale of cocaine and fentanyl. The money laundering network utilized various concealment methods, including cryptocurrency transfers, trade-based money laundering, and encrypted communication platforms.

According to allegations announced by the U.S. Department of Justice at the time of his extradition in February 2026, Xu and his co-conspirators laundered drug proceeds of transnational criminal organizations—as well as funds represented to be drug proceeds—using covert methods such as mirror transfers, encrypted messaging apps, serial number verification systems, and trade-based money laundering. In its sentencing press release, the U.S. Department of Justice included a photograph of Xu holding a kilogram of cocaine during a June 2024 meeting in Bogotá, Colombia.

Arrested in Guatemala After Agreeing to Deal with Purported CJNG Representative

According to court records, on July 17, 2025, Xu and other co-conspirators agreed to broker and assist with the transportation of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from Cali, Colombia, on behalf of an individual claiming to represent CJNG. On the same day, Xu was arrested by Guatemalan authorities in the capital, Guatemala City, at the request of the United States. Xu was extradited to the United States on January 30 of this year.

On October 30, the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice posted on its official X account, "Chinese National Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Narcotics Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Material Support to Terrorism," alongside remarks from Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Duva.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Duva: "Rooting Out Money Launderers That Prop Up Terrorist Organizations Makes America Safer"

"This defendant conspired to help international drug trafficking organizations bring illegal drugs into the United States and move tens of millions of dollars of dirty money out of our country," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. Duva added, "Every case the Justice Department prosecutes as part of the Homeland Security Task Force to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and root out money launderers that prop up designated terrorist organizations makes America safer. Alongside the DEA and our law enforcement partners, we will continue putting behind bars those who fuel the global drug trade and exploit our country."

On October 30, Duva posted on his official X account: "Chinese national Wenshen Xu provided material support to terrorists and helped traffickers bring illegal drugs into the United States. Americans are safer now that he is behind bars thanks to the Criminal Division and Homeland Security Task Force."

"We are committed to stopping transnational criminal organizations from flooding our streets with drugs and choking off the flow of illicit money fueling their violence," said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Theophani K. Stamos for the Eastern District of Virginia. "The Eastern District of Virginia will relentlessly pursue anyone content to profit off the misery and suffering of others, and alongside the DEA and all our law enforcement partners, we will ensure that these narco-terrorists have nowhere to hide from justice."

"This sentence illustrates the complexity of narco-terrorism and the threat it poses to our national security," said Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie of the DEA Special Operations Division. "Transnational criminal organizations operate without borders, but they cannot outrun justice. With our global reach and international footprint, DEA is uniquely positioned to dismantle these illicit networks. We will continue to connect the dots, follow the money, and relentlessly intercept anyone who traffics poison into our communities, no matter where in the world they operate."

On October 30, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia posted on its official X account: "Wenshen Xu, 52, a Honduras-based Chinese national extradited from Guatemala, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison and a $22 million money judgement for narco-trafficking, money laundering, and support of terrorism."

Guilty Plea in June: A Case Carrying Mandatory Minimum of 10 Years to Life in Prison

Xu pleaded guilty on June 30 to conspiring to import cocaine, conspiring to launder drug proceeds, and providing material support to CJNG. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, he faced a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison at the time, and sentencing was originally scheduled for October 15. The guilty plea was announced jointly by Duva and then-Special Agent in Charge Cindy Marx of the DEA Special Operations Division.

On February 3, 2026, when announcing that Xu had been extradited from Guatemala to the United States to face charges following an indictment by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia, the U.S. Department of Justice presented the case as part of "Operation Take Back America." According to the department, this operation is a nationwide initiative that marshals all Justice Department resources to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, eradicate cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent criminals.

Coordination Between DEA, Colombian, and Guatemalan Police

The case was investigated by the DEA Special Operations Division's Bilateral Investigations Unit. Significant assistance was provided by the DEA Office of Special Intelligence Document and Media Exploitation Unit, the DEA Country Offices in Colombia and Guatemala, the Colombian National Police, and the Guatemalan National Civil Police. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs (OIA), the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala provided significant assistance in securing the defendant's arrest and extradition from Guatemala. At the time of the extradition, the Justice Department announced that it thanked the Government of Guatemala and its prosecutorial and law enforcement authorities for their cooperation.

The prosecution was handled by Trial Attorneys Chelsea R. Rooney and Claire M. Galasso of the Criminal Division's Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edgardo J. Rodriguez and Christopher M. Carter for the Eastern District of Virginia. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section is responsible for taking the profit out of crime, dismantling drug cartels, and protecting the U.S. financial system. The section conducts criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions against financial facilitators who launder criminal proceeds, financial institutions and their employees that threaten the U.S. financial system, international money launderers aiding transnational organized crime, and the highest leadership of international drug trafficking organizations. Its Money Laundering and Forfeiture Team investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering offenses involving financial facilitators and gatekeepers, and handles complex civil forfeiture actions to recover assets for victims.

Homeland Security Task Force and CJNG Terrorist Organization Designation

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, this prosecution is part of the work of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), established under Executive Order 14159, "Protecting the American People Against Invasion." The Homeland Security Task Force is an interagency partnership dedicated to eradicating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking organizations operating within and outside the United States. According to the department, the Task Force places particular emphasis on investigating and prosecuting crimes against children, including child trafficking, and utilizes every available tool to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Washington, D.C. Homeland Security Task Force includes agents and officials from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), DEA, the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Transportation Security Administration's Federal Air Marshal Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), and the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).

On February 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of State designated CJNG as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224. At the time, the State Department announced, "CJNG is a transnational organization based across almost all of Mexico," adding, "In addition to trafficking fentanyl, the group engages in extortion, migrant smuggling, theft of fuel and minerals, and arms trafficking." According to the State Department, CJNG maintains networks across the Americas, Australia, China, and Southeast Asia, has attacked Mexican military and police personnel with military-grade weapons, used drones to drop explosives on Mexican law enforcement, and assassinated or attempted to assassinate Mexican officials.

The U.S. Department of State stated, "Terrorist designations expose and isolate entities and individuals, and deny them access to the U.S. financial system and the resources they need to carry out attacks." As a result of the designation, all property and interests in property of the group that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.

Sources (KST)

• U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs press release, "Chinese National Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Narcotics Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Material Support to Terrorism" (2026-10-29): https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/chinese-national-sentenced-12-years-prison-narcotics-trafficking-money-laundering-and
• U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia press release, "Chinese national sentenced to 12 years in prison for narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and material support to terrorism" (2026-10-29): https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/chinese-national-sentenced-12-years-prison-narcotics-trafficking-money-laundering-and
• U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs press release, "Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Narcotics Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Material Support to Terrorism in Homeland Security Task Force Investigation" (2026-06-30): https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/chinese-national-pleads-guilty-narcotics-trafficking-money-laundering-and-material-support
• U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs press release, "Chinese National Extradited from Guatemala to Face Charges of Narcotics Trafficking, Money Laundering and Material Support to Terrorism" (2026-02-03): https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/chinese-national-extradited-guatemala-face-charges-narcotics-trafficking-money-laundering
• U.S. Department of State press release, "Designation of International Cartels" (2025-02-20): https://www.state.gov/designation-of-international-cartels/
• Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice official X post (2026-10-30): https://x.com/DOJCrimDiv/status/2116156966477189230
• A. Tysen Duva, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division, official X post (2026-10-30): https://x.com/AAGDuva/status/2116218910928515420
• U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia official X post (2026-10-30): https://x.com/EDVAnews/status/2116153459972153519