Who is Chuy Gonzalez, the fugitive for whom the US offers a reward of up to $5 million

(CNN Spanish) — “Please direct information about reward offers to DEA at +1-720-355-0168 (phone/text/whatsapp) or by email at Chuy-Reward@DEA.Gov,” reads a message posted by the State Department this Wednesday. on its website.

Jesús González-Peñuelas, also known as Chuy González, thus entered the list of fugitives. The United States is willing to pay up to US$5 million for information leading to his capture. But why is this Mexican citizen so important to the State Department?

Chuy Gonzalez, leader of the Gonzalez-Penuelas organization

Chuy Gonzalez, according to this international search, will be the leader of an independent organization for the distribution and production of methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin and cocaine, which has been operating since 2007. For his illegal activities, Chuy Gonzalez has been charged with related charges. with international narcotics trafficking in the Colorado and Southern California districts.

In May 2021, the US The Treasury Department placed Chuy Gonzalez on a list of high-profile international drug traffickers, froze all of his assets under US jurisdiction and prohibited him from conducting financial transactions with national entities.

At the time, the Treasury identified him as the head of the Gonzalez-Penuelas drug trafficking organization, which was described as a group of “major foreign drug traffickers” under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, or Kingpin Act.

“Jesus González-Peñuelas (aka Chuy González) and his drug trafficking organization are among the largest suppliers of raw opium gum and heroin in northern Mexico and are increasingly involved in the distribution of fentanyl to the US market,” the statement highlighted. At that time by the US authorities.

According to information from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Gonzalez-Penuelas’ last known address is in the city of Gabriel Leva Solano in Sinaloa, Mexico. Indeed, his organization operates primarily in Sinaloa and Sonora, Mexico, but also operates in several ports of entry into the United States, as well as numerous distribution cells located in California, Texas, Colorado, Washington, Utah, and Nevada.

Members of the National Guard and the Mexican Army drive on a highway in Culiacan, Sinaloa state, Mexico on January 6, 2023. (Credit: Juan Carlos Cruz/AFP via Getty Images)

Organization of Chuy Gonzalez

According to information published in 2021 by the Treasury Department, González-Pañuelas’ organization cooperates with other drug-trafficking organizations within Mexico and is “affiliated with Mexican drug lords Fausto Isidro Meza Flores and Rafael Caro Quintero”, also subject to sanctions.

According to that version, the highest positions in the hierarchy of Chuy Gonzalez’s organization would be occupied by members of his own family. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), based at the Treasury, points to several of them: his brothers Ignacio and Wilfrido Gonzalez Penulas, Efren Mendivil Figueroa, Adelmo Nunez Molina and Raul and Juana Payan Meraz.

Ignacio González Penuelas, a Mexican who served as the organization’s top lieutenant and was in charge of overseeing the security of narcotics shipments, was charged in 2018 with multiple counts of drug trafficking.

Wilfrido Gonzalez Penulas Gonzalez Penulas is involved in the trafficking of heroin and opium by operating street stores in the territory of the Penulas drug trafficking organization.

Efrain Mendívil Figueroa, for his part, is one of the distributors and transport coordinators of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine for the González Penulas organization. In 2019, the Oregon District Attorney’s Office charged him with trafficking heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.

Adelmo Nunez Molina is responsible for the supply of raw opium gum. In 2019, the US for the District of Colorado. The attorney’s office charged him with multiple counts of drug trafficking.

Finally, Raul Payne Meraz oversees poppy production and Juana Payne Meraz is Raul Payne Meraz’s drug trafficking partner.

From CNN en Español, with information from Ivonne Valdés.