Ottawa designates cartels and street gangs as terrorist groups, fulfilling promise to Trump

The federal government designated seven criminal organizations — including cartels and street gangs involved in trafficking fentanyl — as terrorists on Thursday, delivering on a promise made to U.S. President Donald Trump in hopes of staving off economically devastating tariffs.

Included on the list are the Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) and Sinaloa cartels, considered two of Mexico's largest and most powerful organized crime groups.

"These are ruthless, transnational criminal organizations," said Public Safety Minister David McGuinty during a news conference on Parliament Hill. 

"These listed entities are organized crime groups that spread fear in local populations by using methods of extreme violence and are known for drug trafficking, human trafficking and trafficking in illegal guns."

Historically, Canada has used the Criminal Code designation for religiously motivated groups, like ISIS or al-Qaeda, or ideologically motivated players, like neo-Nazi terror groups Atomwaffen Division and The Base, and not for crime rings.

In recent years, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has said the CJNG and Sinaloa cartels, using chemicals largely sourced from China, are behind "the vast majority" of the fentanyl that is being trafficked in communities across the United States.

Other criminal organizations on the list include: 

RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme, who attended Thursday's announcement, said law enforcement have intelligence suggesting cartels are operating in the country.

"There's also strong intelligence that Canadians have actually moved to Mexico and South America to facilitate the transport of certain commodities into Canada," he said.

Listing the groups as terrorist entities under the Criminal Code means certain activities are now illegal, including those related to financing, travel and recruitment. The Criminal Code already includes provisions for dealing with criminal organizations.

McGuinty said the listing gives law enforcement "additional powers to track, trace, find the financing, disrupt it, interrupt it.

"We're going after the money," he said.

While the recorded amount of fentanyl seized at the Canada-U.S. border is minor compared to the southern U.S. border, that hasn't stopped Trump from raising the issue as justification for a trade war with his northern neighbour.

Earlier this month, Canada was able to delay 25 per cent tariffs on all goods after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made last-minute additions to his government's border security plan, including the promise to list cartels.