US EditionTrump Set to Dissolve Transnational Crime Unit
- The Trump administration has announced plans to terminate a Department of Justice unit responsible for combating organized crime and drug trafficking, requiring it to cease all activities by September 30, 2025, and removing its funding for the fiscal year 2026.
- This decision follows immediate DOJ budget cuts instituted by Trump but lacks a stated reason despite OCDETF's role in combating drug cartels, human trafficking, and international scams targeting seniors.
- OCDETF seized more than $2 billion from criminal networks over two years and maintained thousands of open investigations, including efforts against the Sinaloa Cartel and transnational fraud.
- A DOJ budget analyst emailed that OCDETF's 2026 budget will be "zeroed out" and the independent office dissolved, though the decision conflicts with ongoing programs like Operation Take Back America.
- The shutdown raises uncertainty over thousands of investigations and contradicts the administration's public commitment to fight organized crime, prompting concern among lawmakers and prosecutors.
7 Articles
7 Articles
'Zeroed out': Trump eliminates DOJ unit protecting Americans from organized crime
The Trump administration is “decommissioning” a Department of Justice unit known for dismantling transnational organized crime networks, including drug cartels, human trafficking rings and lottery and phone scams that target President Donald Trump’s senior supporters. Bloomberg reports leaders of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Unit, or OCDETF, were told they had until Sept. 30 to shut down operations, according to anonymous int…
Trump Admin Shutting Down DOJ Task Force, per Bloomberg
The Trump administration reportedly is shutting down a Department of Justice task force that has focused on dismantling transnational organized crime networks, drug cartels and human trafficking rings. Leaders of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces were given until Sept. 30 to shut down operations, Bloomberg reported. The outlet said it obtained records showing a DOJ budget analyst last week emailed a counterpart at OCDETF said its …
'Zeroed out': Trump plans to shut down critical crime unit — and no one knows why
President Donald Trump's administration is moving to shut down a critical Department of Justice unit fighting organized crime and drug trafficking that dates all the way back to the Reagan administration, Bloomberg News reported — and there doesn't seem to be any clear reason why.The leaders of this...
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