the Sinaloa cartel is one of the most important drug trafficking groups in Mexico due to its presence in Mexico at least 15 of the territory’s 32 statesThis doesn’t include its operations in the United States, where it also has bases in California, Arizona, New Mexico and West Texas.
but how did it become so important? who is in there Here is an x-ray of this criminal faction.
Thus began the Sinaloa Cartel
It all started in the 1980s with a secession from the Guadalajara cartelwhich gradually grew until, according to the organization Americas Quarterly, it filled a power vacuum left by the Colombian cartels in the early 1990s.
Its rapid growth was due to the sophisticated tactics they used to traffic drugs and evade justice, ideally exemplified by the escape of their leader, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the first in 2001 and the last in 2015
According to the specialized security organization InSight Crime This cartel is considered the largest and most powerful in the western hemispherean alliance of the main capos in Mexico responsible for bribing senior federal police officials and the secretary of defense to gain an advantage over other criminal groups.
Sinaloa is the perfect geographic location to host this type of organization. It is currently the main stronghold of this cartel, better known as the “Golden Triangle” as it also coincides with other states such as Durango and Chihuahua, where mountains cover illegal crops and laboratories dedicated to the production of heroin and fentanyl.
To better delve into the origins of the Sinaloa cartel, it must be understood that the majority of criminal groups of this type were born in this state, especially in families devoted to the country; Nevertheless, Over time they got into drug trafficking while in the 1970’s they got into illegal drug trafficking.
Pedro Áviles, one of the most important bosses of that time, invited Joaquín Guzmán Loera to the shop, yes, “El Chapo”.
Although Avilés was shot down in 1978, Rafael Caro Quintero, Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo and of course “El Chapo” followed in the industry.. These grew when they contacted the Medellin Cartel, Colombia.
Despite this, Everything changed in 1985 when DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena was murdered.which means the end of the Guadalajara cartel.
In this way different factions were created that went out the brothers of Arellano Félix in Tijuana, those of Carrillo Fuentes in Ciudad Juárezas well as “El Chapo” and Hector Luis Palma Salazar in Sinaloa. At that time the war grew between everyone.
The members and leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel
After the dissolution of the Beltrán Leyva organization in 2008, according to InSight Crime, “El Chapo” became the main leader of the Sinaloa carteltime after He was joined by Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García and Juan José Esparragoza Moreno, aka “El Azul”.
But known In 2014 they arrested “El Chapo”Therefore, the criminal group was left in charge of “El Azul” and “El Mayo”. Rumor has it that “El Azul” died of a heart attack in June of the same yearduring in July 2015, Joaquín Guzmán Loera returned to the top after escaping from prison.
However, it must be taken into account that the organization does not have a hierarchical structure, since Each of these men has their own internal and autonomous factions that cooperate with one another.
After the second capture of “El Chapo” and the presumed death of “El Azul”, “El Mayo” was the only one left of the former leaders to lead the organization.
To the, He was joined by Guzmán Loera’s sons such as Joaquín Guzmán López and Ovidio Guzmán Lópezwho was recently captured for the second time, Ivan Archivaldo and Jesus Alfredoand leaves the Sinaloa Cartel with no less weapons.