Brothers René and Alfonso Arzate García have established themselves as some of the longest-standing and most loyal allies of the Sinaloa Cartel faction led by the Zambada family.
“I don’t have a document, but we do have unofficial information,” replied Baja California Attorney General María Elena Andrade Ramírez when questioned at a press conference about the alleged arrest of René Arzate García—a key operative for the “Los Mayos” faction of the Sinaloa Cartel and a man for whom the U.S. government offers a reward of up to $5 million.
The official’s statement sparked a frenzy. Various media outlets and internet users began spreading news of the arrest of “La Rana” (The Frog)—as the criminal leader is also known—only to be forced to retract the information hours later following the release of a statement by the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE).
“At the conclusion of her remarks, one of the statements could have been interpreted as referring to an alleged arrest; however, that information hasn’t been confirmed,” the agency clarified, noting that the matter falls under federal jurisdiction.
With that statement, the capture of René Arzate García was ruled out—at least for now. There have been at least two instances in the last month where rumors of “La Rana’s” arrest circulated; furthermore, the U.S. government has been taking action since 2025 to both press for his arrest and hinder his operations, which extend across the border.
This is significant, as René Arzate García—alongside his brother Alfonso—has established himself as one of the most prolific and dangerous criminal leaders within the Sinaloa Cartel’s hierarchy. His allegiance to the “Los Mayos” faction has been documented for years, and he has gained prominence amidst the conflict that Ismael Zambada Sicairos—alias “El Mayito Flaco”—has been waging against “Los Chapitos” in Sinaloa since September 2024.
Who are the Arzate García brothers?
“I bring my elite squad along wherever I go; I have my businesses, I have many partners, and I call the shots. Here in Tijuana, they call him ‘La Rana’ [The Frog], and the other is his brother. Yes, I am ‘Aquiles’ [Achilles]—rifles and assault weapons providing protection […] I’m a warrior by nature, and my brother doesn’t mess around either,” go the lyrics of a narco ballad that Grupo Codiciado dedicated to the Arzate García brothers in 2019.
According to information from the Department of Justice, René and Alfonso Arzate García have established themselves over the last 15 years—at the very least—as *jefes de plaza* (regional bosses) for the Sinaloa Cartel in Tijuana, Baja California.
Their long tenure within the criminal organization is due to their having maintained authority through violence, strategic alliances, and deep local influence—extending not only to the general public but also to co-opted politicians and police officers.
Despite conflicts arising among Sinaloa Cartel associates and members in the region, “La Rana” and “El Aquiles”—as they are best known—have become key figures in sustaining operations in a territory that is strategic for drug trafficking into the United States.
Maintaining control over this border corridor has given the group—also known as the Pacific Cartel—an advantage in asserting dominance over rival organizations, while also ensuring smooth operations at what the U.S. government describes as “the busiest border crossing in the Western Hemisphere.”
The Arzate García brothers were formally charged in a federal court in the Southern District of California in 2014; however, that marked only the beginning of a series of legal proceedings aimed at their arrest and, potentially, their eventual extradition or handover to U.S. authorities.
The Hunt for “La Rana”
Before the outbreak of the conflict between “Los Chapitos” and “Los Mayos,” leadership of the criminal cell allied with the Zambada family was attributed to Alfonso Arzate García, alias “El Aquiles”; however, René has now established himself as the leader of both the group and its criminal operations.
A recent statement by the Baja California prosecutor adds to a series of episodes highlighting “La Rana” as a priority target for authorities. One of the first major blows occurred on June 3, 2025, when police and military forces arrested José Antonio “N” in the Los Altos neighborhood of Tijuana.
Better known as “El Chaparro,” the 42-year-old man was identified as a key driver of violence—responsible for homicides and retail drug trafficking—as well as a coordinator of hitmen and lookouts for the criminal cell led by the Arzate García brothers.
Through his official communication channel, the head of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), Omar García Harfuch, detailed that authorities seized 15 kilograms of drugs, 500 pills, three firearms, magazines, two vehicles, and ammunition from the operative working for “La Rana” and “El Aquiles.”
Although a year has passed since that high-profile arrest, the net is gradually tightening around the “Los Mayos” operative in Baja California. On May 13, an operation in the community of Popotla, in Playas de Rosarito, Baja California, sparked widespread speculation.
On that occasion, a Navy (Semar) helicopter flying overhead alerted the public to an operation that, according to local media reports, aimed to apprehend a priority target: René Arzate García, alias “La Rana.” That operation was led by federal forces; however, Teófila González Lozada, the delegate for the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) in Baja California, declined to provide details about the operation.
In addition to the operations that have dealt a blow to the criminal structure of the Arzate García brothers in Baja California—as well as rumors regarding the alleged arrest of “La Rana”—there are actions taken by the U.S. government aimed at undermining the power the group has amassed in the coveted border city of Tijuana.
‘Narcoterrorism’ and U.S. sanctions
Although René and Alfonso Arzate García were formally charged in a federal court in the Southern District of California as early as 2014, it was more than a decade later that their criminal activities prompted a series of sanctions from the Department of the Treasury.
The designation by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for “La Rana” and “El Aquiles” came first in 2023 and subsequently in September 2025. In a statement, the agency accused them of orchestrating kidnappings, extortion, money laundering, and the co-opting of public officials in Playas de Rosarito, Baja California—a territory that has established itself as a key artery for the Sinaloa Cartel, specifically for the “Los Mayos” faction.
“René Arzate maintains control of Rosarito through several associates, including Mario Alberto Herrera Sánchez (Mario Herrera) and Karlo Omar Herrera Sánchez (Karlo Herrera). The Herrera brothers work with Jesús González Lomeli (González)—a Rosarito business magnate and high-ranking financial operator for the Sinaloa Cartel—to help carry out the cartel’s operations in the area,” the Department of the Treasury detailed in the report regarding their OFAC designation.
Regarding the scheme linked to the Arzate García brothers, it was also noted that Jesús González Lomelí owns various bars and restaurants in Playas de Rosarito that have been used to launder millions of dollars in drug trafficking proceeds on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel—specifically for “La Rana” and “El Aquiles,” as well as for Juan José Ponce Félix, alias “El Ruso.”
Regarding the co-opting of public officials, the Department of the Treasury identifies Candelario Arcega Aguirre as a liaison between the Arzate García brothers and Hilda Araceli Brown Figueredo, the mayor of Playas de Rosarito, Baja California. “Working together, González, Arcega, and Brown collected extortion payments for the Arzates, helped manage the Arzate brothers’ operations, and ensured protection for their criminal activities from the Rosarito Department of Public Security,” the statement notes.
The OFAC sanctions against brothers René and Alfonso Arzate, as well as their associates, highlighted the influence they have managed to amass in Tijuana and Playas de Rosarito; however, the U.S. authorities’ offensive didn’t stop there.
In late February 2026, the charges against “La Rana” were amended to include two of the most severely punished offenses in the United States: narco-terrorism and material support for terrorism, involving large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana.
“René Arzate-García has risen through the ranks of the Sinaloa Cartel to become one of the region’s most violent and prolific drug traffickers […] Designated as a foreign terrorist organization, the Sinaloa Cartel threatens our national security and the safety of our citizens. The FBI San Diego Field Office, in coordination with our local, state, federal, and international law enforcement partners, will continue to vigorously investigate these transnational criminal organizations and their leaders,” stated TJ Holland, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office.
U.S. investigations, as detailed in court documents, identify La Rana as the person in charge of directing “Los Mayos'” drug trafficking operations in Tijuana and neighboring municipalities, linking him to the importation of large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana into the United States.
René Arzate García’s extensive criminal record also includes his involvement in enforcement operations—such as kidnappings and executions—carried out on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel faction he represents. To execute these activities, according to Department of the Treasury investigations, La Rana has relied on other key collaborators within Los Mayos, such as Carlos Alberto Páez Pereda, alias “Carlitos Rugrats.”
The extensive criminal career René Arzate García has built over more than a decade has made him a priority target for authorities on both sides of the border, who closely monitor his every move in the hope of one day capturing La Rana.
Source: Milenio
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