Two Honduran congressmen are facing federal drug trafficking and weapons charges in the U.S. for their alleged roles in helping the Sinaloa Cartel move large cocaine loads from Colombia and Venezuela into Honduras, then to Mexico, and eventually into the United States. One of the congressmen is accused of using MS-13 hitmen for security and escorting cocaine loads.

Federal authorities are trying to extradite both politicians and other alleged associates. In one of the cases, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration claim Honduran Congressman Midence Oqueli Martinez Turcios took an active role in the drug smuggling operation, a DEA news release revealed. Authorities claim Martinez Turcios is an alleged member of a violent Honduran drug trafficking cartel called “Cachiros;” the group was singled out as helping transport cocaine for Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel.

Once led by famed drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the Sinaloa Cartel is considered the largest drug trafficking organization in the world with direct ties to Asian and European crime syndicates. A 2015 report by the DEA revealed that Sinaloa Cartel managed to infiltrate and establish areas of influence in most U.S. cities–turning the criminal organization into the single largest drug supplier for the country. After the extradition of El Chapo to the U.S. for his upcoming trial, the Sinaloa Cartel lost some footing to their rival, Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), but continues to be the leading organization. The two cartels are waging a fierce war for control of major drug trafficking routes and cities throughout Mexico.

From 2004 to 2014, federal prosecutors and DEA agents claim Martinez Turcios received more than $1 million from the Cachiros allegedly used to fund his political career. Martinez Turcios is believed to have personally escorted cocaine shipments and sent teams of MS-13 hitmen hired by Los Cachiros to protect the drug loads and carry out enforcement operations.

Using his position as a Honduran congressman, Martinez Turcios allegedly acted as a frontman for Los Cachiros and helped their money laundering operations as well. In January, federal prosecutors and DEA agents charged another Honduran congressman, Fredy Renan Najera Montoya, for his role in helping move large cocaine loads for the Sinaloa Cartel.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Stephen K. Bannon.  You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.

Brandon Darby is managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and Stephen K. Bannon. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.