Sinaloa Cartel - InSight Crime | Organized Crime in the Americas

Drug Trade "Anarchy" in Argentina Border State Sparks Controversy

Politicians in Argentina have demanded that prosecutors investigate claims there is a drug trafficking "free zone" in a province near the Triple Frontier, a well-known hub for organized crime. Read more

Explaining the Jump in Guatemala's Murder Rate
Statistics show that for the first time since 2009, homicides have begun to climb at a steady pace in Guatemala, raising the question of what…
'El Chapo Based in 6 Mexican States'
Mexican and US authorities believe they have identified six Mexico states where Sinaloa Cartel head Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is usually based, raising further questions…
Tracking the Sinaloa Federation’s International Presence
The Sinaloa Cartel has built up an extensive international network while other Mexican drug trafficking organizations have been vulnerable to infighting and fragmentation. Analyst Samuel…

The Sinaloa Cartel, often described as the largest and most powerful drug trafficking organization in the Western Hemisphere, is an alliance of some of Mexico’s top capos. The coalition's members operate in concert to protect themselves, relying on connections at the highest levels and corrupting portions of the federal police and military to maintain the upper hand against its rivals.

Key members
Enemies
Allies

El Chapo

Probably the most famous living drug trafficker on the planet still at large, Joaquin Guzman... Read more

El Mayo

Ismael Zambada Garcia, alias "El Mayo," heads a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. He has... Read more

El Azul

A former police detective, Juan Jose Esparragoza Moreno, alias "El Azul," has become the go-to... Read more

Sinaloa Cartel Members Rank as Tijuana's Most Wanted

In one indication of how much the conflict in Tijuana has evolved since 2009, the... Read more

Zetas

The Zetas, once the military wing of the Gulf Cartel, are among one of the... Read more

BLO

Led by the Beltran Leyva brothers, this Mexican drug trafficking organization worked with the Sinaloa... Read more

Juarez Cartel

The Juarez Cartel is responsible for smuggling tons of narcotics from Mexico into the U.S.... Read more

Familia Michoacana

At the height of its power, the Familia Michoacana’s brutal tactics, strong base of operations... Read more

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FARC

As the biggest irregular army in Colombia, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas... Read more

Gulf Cartel

The Gulf Cartel is one of the oldest and most powerful of Mexico’s criminal groups... Read more

Rastrojos

The Rastrojos were born out of the powerful Norte del Valle drug trafficking organization and... Read more

Juan Chamale

Until his arrest in March 2011, Juan Alberto Ortiz Lopez, alias 'Juan Chamale,’ was ranked... Read more

Texis Cartel

Unlike some Central American gangs that have earned fame for their brutality and their liberal... Read more

Perrones

The Perrones are El Salvador’s most infamous transportation group. Made up of a mix of... Read more

Knights Templar

The Knights Templar (Cabelleros Templarios) is a splinter group of the once-mighty Familia Michoacana, which emerged... Read more

Mendozas

Based in Guatemala's northern-most province of Peten, the Mendozas mainly ran contraband before becoming one... Read more

Reñazcos

Based primarily in Nicaragua's South Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAS), the Reñazco family is active primarily... Read more

Tarzanes

This Nicaraguan drug trafficking group is linked to the Reyes Aragon family, headed by Augustin... Read more

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Sinaloa Cartel News

Drug Trade "Anarchy" in Argentina Border State Sparks Controversy

Explaining the Jump in Guatemala's Murder Rate

'El Chapo Based in 6 Mexican States'

Tracking the Sinaloa Federation’s International Presence

Sinaloa Cartel Profile

Sinaloa Cartel Areas of Influence