“Today, we’re going after the money.”

And with that, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty added seven trans-national criminal organizations to the list of terrorist organizations under the Criminal Code of Canada.

It’s part of the federal government’s ongoing efforts to combat the production, trafficking and distribution of fentanyl in Canada. That includes an additional $1.3 billion dollars on border security, the appointment of a so-called ‘fentanyl czar’ and plans to ban fentanyl pre-cursors.

The measures are part of Canada’s response to increased drug enforcement measures demanded by the United States through threatened tariffs on Canadian goods.

The groups now listed include the Gulf Cartel, the Michoacan Family, MS-13, the United Cartels, TdA, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco Cartel New Generation.

McGuinty says by having organized crime groups like those announced today, listed as a terrorist organization, allows law enforcement added tools in dismantling and disrupting their criminal activities in Canada.

“The Criminal Code prohibits certain actions in relation to terrorist groups, including those related to terrorist financing, travel, and recruitment. It is prohibited for any person in Canada as well as any Canadian abroad to knowingly deal with the property of a terrorist group” says McGuinty.