Sinaloa Cartel: DEA Agent Points Out The Armed Branches Operating In Sonora.

Mica for cartelinsider.com

The Sinaloa Cartel is one of the criminal groups that has a strong presence in Mexico and is an organization that has various cells and armed branches, in addition to having three identified factions: the Chapitos, led by the sons of Joaquín Guzmán Loera; that of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and that of Aureliano “El Guano” Guzmán.

One of the relevant states for the Pacific Cartel is Sonora, where criminal groups linked to said cartel have been identified. Telemundo Arizona consulted with a member of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) who detailed the armed groups operating in the state governed by Alfonzo Durazo Montaño.

Despite the DEA agent’s warnings, reports have emerged of a supposed “new” criminal group that could confront Los Chapitos.

Apolonio Ruíz was in charge of pointing out three criminal groups to the aforementioned medium. He began by talking about “Los Cazadores,” which according to journalistic reports were led by Jesús Humberto Limón López, also known as “El Noveno” and/or “El Cazador,” until he was captured in 2021.

While in more recent actions, last January of 2024, Edwin C, alias “El Moreno,” who was identified as the alleged leader of Los Cazadores, was killed. This happened after members of the Sonora General Prosecutor’s Office were attacked by a group of armed individuals while attempting to carry out an arrest warrant.

The Hunters seem to answer to The Chapitos in journalistic reports, and are accused of being responsible for kidnappings, patrol car theft, and attacks against rival groups. The group known as The Ghosts would be under the orders of The Hunters.

Another one of the criminal cells is called Los Pelones, which would also be linked to the sons of El Chapo Guzmán. This group is one of those that joined the alleged fentanyl prohibition initiated by Los Chapitos in October 2023.

Omar Félix “L”, also known as El 08 or El Pelón de Sonoyta, would be the man at the forefront of Los Pelones and is identified in local press reports as a generator of violence in Sonora. Some reports indicate that this man had agreed to expand the activities of Los Chapitos to the Mexicali Valley and for this, he formed ties with two individuals nicknamed El Durango and El Duracell.

While the third group identified by Apolonio Ruiz is that of “Los Rusos,” in contrast to the previous two, this one is believed to be connected to “El Mayo Zambada.” The importance of this criminal group is such that even the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) issued a wanted notice for the presumed leader who directs “Los Rusos.”

The Russian is allegedly associated with drug trafficking, money laundering, and taking hostages according to US authorities. It is also suspected that this man may be hiding in Mexicali, Baja California. Mexican authorities are also on the trail of The Russian.

To complicate the criminal map of Sonora at the beginning of 2024, the emergence of a group called the New Independent Cartel of Sonora was reported, which according to police reports would be formed by members of criminal cells linked to the Sinaloa Cartel: Los Paredes, Los Salazar and Los Cazadores.

In the face of this scenario, security expert Robert J. Bunker emphasized that the violence exerted by Los Chapitos could be due to them trying to send a message for this alleged new criminal organization.

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Mica

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