The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has responded to viral videos glamorizing cartel activity and drug smuggling, with officials emphasizing the ongoing efforts to crack down on what they call “depraved” criminal networks.
The content, some of which shows what appears to be cocaine being processed and transported, includes footage of what seem to be dismembered limbs, allegedly belonging to a cartel-affiliated smuggler. The videos have drawn widespread attention and alarm, contributing to what online users have dubbed the “Cartel-Tok” trend, where criminal groups glorify cartel life and showcase violent or illegal activity.
“While DHS has not verified the authenticity of the content this particular account has shared, our brave ICE officers, CBP agents and U.S. Coast Guard are working day-in and day-out to protect Americans from the threat of these depraved cartel members who glorify violence,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating Mexican drug cartels and other Latin American groups as terrorist organizations.
Trump’s order says that these groups “threaten the safety of the American people, the security of the United States, and the stability of the international order in the Western Hemisphere.”
What To Know
“On day one of his presidency, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order designating cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. These depraved thugs rape, maim, torture and poison Americans,” McLaughlin said.
Dubbed “Cartel-Tok” by social media users, a growing number of videos posted to platforms like TikTok depict people allegedly affiliated with Latin American drug cartels showcasing large drug shipments. Some videos have racked up millions of views.
A TikTok account under the username @$rugcoin has shared several videos depicting what appears to be a drug smuggler with a video caption that reads “POV: You Work for the cartel.”
The videos often portray illegal smuggling as daring or heroic, raising fears that they may be influencing young viewers or aiding recruitment efforts by cartels.
One video text caption reads: “Family business on Colombia,” and another says: “We are hiring more people.”
The account under $RUGCOIN is also promoting a new memecoin project.
DHS has not confirmed whether the people shown in the viral content are actual cartel members.
Arturo Fontes, a retired FBI agent, told Newsweek that the social media videos can “entice” young people.
What People Are Saying
Arturo Fontes, a retired FBI agent, told Newsweek: “These videos glamorize the role of drug dealers and violent crime, particularly appealing to young people—often referred to as “fresas,” or middle-class youths—who lack motivation for education or employment. Unfortunately, many of these individuals are disillusioned with the traditional path and are enticed by the allure of fast money, luxurious lifestyles, and superficial beauty without any effort or hard work.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek: “Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS has near complete operational control of the border that the Biden administration recklessly left wide-open for cartels to exploit by trafficking humans and drugs into the U.S. Our personnel will continue to dismantle and disrupt nefarious criminals who pose a threat to the safety of our country.”
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