The Stop Fueling Cartel Violence Act directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report within 180 days on efforts to counter the theft and smuggling of stolen hydrocarbon products by Mexican criminal organizations, particularly the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) and other major cartels. The bill establishes that fuel theft has become the largest non-drug revenue source for these organizations, with cartels stealing nearly one billion liters of fuel in 2024 and costing Mexico approximately $24 million per day in lost tax revenue. The report must detail current Defense Department activities and recommend future strategies, including capacity building with partner nations, information sharing with civilian agencies, and assessment of criminal networks involved in hydrocarbon smuggling. Congress declares in the legislation that the theft and trafficking of crude oil, diesel, and other petroleum products by these cartels constitutes a significant national security threat to the United States and should be treated as a priority alongside traditional counterdrug efforts. The bill leverages existing Defense Department authorities and surveillance capabilities already used for drug interdiction to address the growing problem of fuel smuggling across the U.S.-Mexico border.
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