What is the new Mexican cartel that could take over Los Chapitos in Sonora?

He The Sinaloa Cartel It is one of the drug trafficking organizations with the largest presence in Mexico. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) estimates that it operates in 19 of the 32 states of the republic. But the emergence of a new criminal group could confront a group led by the children of Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán – known as Los Chapitos– In the state Sonora.

About that Sonora’s new independent cartel, whose formation was reported in the first month of the current year. It is believed that he could be one of the main rivals of Los Chapitos leaders Ivan Archivaldo, Jesus Alfredo and Joaquín Guzmán, for whom the United States (USA) offers a reward of USD 10 million and USD 5 million for the first two. The last from them.

This criminal organization is composed of at least three cells that maintained ties to the Sinaloa cartel but now operate independently: Los Cazadores, Los Paredes, and Los Salazars.

According to security experts, Robert J. BunkerThe emergence of a new independent cartel in Sonora suggests that Los Chapitos are beginning to lose strength in the state run by Alfonso Durazo, where they also face off. The Caborca ​​Cartel.

“For a few months now the appearance of a new independent cartel from Sonora has been discussed. It is not clear whether it represents a completely independent third group or has ties to the Caborca ​​cartel (…) In any case, what we are seeing is The gradual breakup of the Sinaloa cartel

” Bunker commented Daily Star.

The American academic explained that the Jalisco Nueva Generation cartel has benefited from the conflict that Los Chapitos maintains with the Caborca ​​cartel and the New Independent Sonora cartel.CJNG), the main rival of the Sinaloa Cartel throughout Mexico.

“Anything that weakens the Sinaloa cartel will be seen as a gain for the CJNG. This suggests that CJNG may have already approached Sonora’s new independent cartel and is likely to ally with it, or at least try to provide some support to it,” said C/O Futures, director of research and analysis. LLC.

Given the limited information available about this new cartel, it is unknown who its current leaders are. Adam Salazar ZamoranoIdentified as one of the leaders of Los Salazar, was extradited to the United States in August of last year, when Gilderdo Dominguez Soto, alias ‘El Copechi’ – identified as the leader of Los Cazadoras Plaza in Sonora – was captured last February.

However, Robert J. While Bunker suggests a split in the Sinaloa cartel, the truth is that it is one of the criminal organizations with the largest margin of operations inside and outside of Mexico.

George Papadopoulos, deputy director of the DEA, released a report in July 2023 showing that the Sinaloa cartel has 26,000 members, associates, aides and intermediaries in more than 100 countries around the world that allow them to traffic fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine. And marijuana, mainly.