S. 4544 — Stop Fueling Cartel Violence Act

This section states congressional findings that Mexico-based cartels including CJNG, Sinaloa, Gulf, and Northeast steal and smuggle crude oil, diesel, and gasoline from Pemex through pipeline taps, hijackings, and front companies, generating the largest non-drug illicit revenue stream for these groups. It notes Pemex lost 987 million liters in 2024 (nearly triple 2019 levels), Mexico loses $24 million daily in tax revenue, and 16–27 percent of Mexican fuel consumption is illegal. It further finds that DoD counterdrug surveillance assets apply directly to hydrocarbon smuggling due to operational similarities.

This section expresses the sense of Congress that the theft and illicit transborder trafficking of crude oil, diesel, gasoline, and refined petroleum products by Mexico-based transnational criminal organizations constitutes a significant threat to U.S. national security and public safety. It states that the United States Government should treat such trafficking as a priority in its counterdrug and counter-transnational organized crime strategy.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report within 180 days to the congressional defense committees detailing Department of Defense activities under section 284 of title 10, United States Code, or other authorities to deny, disrupt, or degrade transnational criminal organizations engaged in the theft or smuggling of stolen hydrocarbon products. The report must also include recommendations for future activities, such as capacity building with partner nations under section 333 of title 10 and information sharing, plus an assessment of resources used.