Cártel de Sinaloa | |
Founded | 1987 |
---|---|
Founders | Joaquín Guzmán Loera, Héctor Palma Salazar, Ismael Zambada García, Juan José Esparragoza Moreno |
Named after | Sinaloa, Mexico |
Founding location | Culiacán, Sinaloa, México |
Years active | 1987–present[1] |
Territory | List of areas
|
Leader(s) | Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar, Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar, Ismael Zambada Sicairos |
Allies | See section below |
The Sinaloa Cartel (Spanish: Cártel de Sinaloa, CDS, after the native Sinaloa region), also known as the Guzmán-Loera Organization, the Federation, the Blood Alliance,[4][5][6] or the Pacific Cartel,[7] is a large, transnational organized crime syndicate based in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico[8] that specializes in illegal drug trafficking and money laundering.
The cartel's history is marked by evolution from a small crime syndicate to one of the most powerful and violent drug trafficking organizations in the world. Founded in the late 1960s by Pedro Avilés Pérez in Sinaloa, the cartel initially focused on smuggling marijuana into the United States (US). Pérez is credited with pioneering the use of aircraft for drug smuggling, laying the groundwork for large-scale trafficking operations. His organization was a training ground for the second generation of Sinaloan traffickers.
The Guadalajara Cartel was co-founded by Félix Gallardo between 1978 and 1980, marking the next phase in the cartel's history.[9][10][11] Under Gallardo's leadership, the cartel controlled much of Mexico's drug trafficking corridors along the US border throughout the 1980s. Following Gallardo's arrest in 1989, the cartel splintered into smaller organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the Sinaloa Cartel, under the leadership of figures like Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, expanded its operations significantly, engaging in brutal conflicts with rival cartels and the Mexican government. The cartel diversified its drug portfolio to include cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin, further solidifying its position as a dominant force in the drug trade. Despite numerous arrests and seizures by law enforcement, the cartel has continued to operate, often employing sophisticated smuggling techniques, including tunnels under the US-Mexico border. It has operations in many world regions but primarily in the Mexican states of Sinaloa, Baja California, Durango, Sonora, and Chihuahua.[4][12] and presence in other regions in Latin America, as well as cities across the U.S.[13][14] The United States Intelligence Community considers the cartel to be the largest and most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world, perhaps more influential than Pablo Escobar's Medellín Cartel of Colombia during its prime.[15][16] According to the National Drug Intelligence Center and other sources within the U.S. the Sinaloa Cartel is primarily involved in the distribution of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, cannabis and MDMA.[17]
As of 2024, the cartel remains Mexico's most dominant drug cartel.[15][18] After the arrest of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán and his son Ovidio Guzmán López in 2016 and 2023 respectively, the cartel was headed by old-school leader Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada,[19] as well as Guzmán's other sons, Alfredo Guzmán Salazar, Joaquín Guzmán López and Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar,[20][21] until 2024 when both Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López were arrested by US authorities in El Paso, Texas.[22] The cartel has had a significant impact on the War on drugs, both international and local politics, as well as in popular culture. Its influence extends beyond Mexico, with operations in the United States, Latin America, and as far as the Philippines. Despite the arrest of key leaders, the cartel remains a significant player in international drug trafficking, driven by demand for narcotics in the US and around the world.
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