Update on The Mexican Drug Cartel

From US sources, a special updated report on Mexican drug traffickers.

Alliances by Mexican Drug Cartels Results in Two Mega Cartels

Mexico City - According to a report compiled by Mexican Secretary of National Defense (SEDENA) and released by the news periodical Excelsior, eight drug trafficking organizations in Mexico have united to form two solo groups in order to gain control of drug trafficking and its associated routes in the country. The breakdowns of these alliances were reported as follows:

1) The Sinaloa Cartel headed by Joaquín Guzmán Loera, El Chapo, has aligned with La Familia Michoacana, what remains of the Milenio/Valencia Cartel, and with a faction of the Tijuana Cartel. Key drugs that will continue to be trafficked by these groups include cocaine, marijuana, and synthetic drugs.

2) The second block consists of the Beltran Leyva organization, the Juarez Cartel, Los Zetas, and the Tijuana Cartel.

Who Initiated the Alliances?

The individuals who worked to form the first alliance were identified as Sinaloa Cartel leaders Ignacio Coronel Villarreal, aka Nacho Coronel, and Ismael Zambada García aka El Mayo Zambada. Ignacio Coronel Villarreal was responsible for bringing La Familia Michoacana and Los Valencia onboard. Ismael Zambada García was responsible for negotiations with Teodoro García Simental, El Teo (before his arrest).

The second alliance was formed as a result of work done by Arturo and Hector Beltran Leyva who met with Miguel Trevino Morales to form an alliance with the Gulf Cartel/Los Zetas. This was then approved by Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano, aka El Lazca. The Beltran Leyva brothers also established the alliance with Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, aka El Viceroy. Left on the sidelines in these negotiations were Ezequiel Cardenas Guillen, Tony Tormenta, Eduardo Costilla, El Coss, and El Gordo Landin.

Changes in the Gulf Cartel/Los Zetas:

The SEDENA report indicates that the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas are splitting and that their current association is the result of a few remaining arrangements. According to the report, Los Zetas have become an independent faction of the Gulf Cartel, so much so that among themselves, they no longer identify each other with the letter “Z,” but rather, with the letter “L”.

End Result Desired from New Alliance Formation:

Both of these new groups seek to destroy the other and take over their respective trafficking routes. Given this, executions, extreme violence, and means of instilling terror to win plazas/territories have resulted. The states of Sinaloa, Coahuila, Chihuahua, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas are now under the control of the Juarez Cartel, the Beltran Leyva brothers, and the Gulf Cartel/Los Zetas. These groups have started an all out war against the Sinaloa Cartel and their armed group, La Gente Nueva. Along the northern border, El Chapo Guzman is said to have 4,000 hitmen operating given that he is fighting the battle alone. The reason for this is that La Familia Michoacana and Los Valencia Cartel only operate in the southern and central portions of the country.

Brief History of the Tijuana Cartel and the Unions of Convenience:

The border peninsular region of Baja California constitutes a key point for the passage of drugs and merchandise to the U.S. Because of this, the Tijuana Cartel originally took control of the area to manage the entire peninsula. At the start, the Tijuana Cartel specialized in contraband operations and arms trafficking. Later, they progressed to buying and selling drugs.

Principal Leaders of the Tijuana Cartel that have been arrested/taken out:

1) Benjamin, Eduardo and Javier are in prison;

2) Ramon was killed.

Given this, their nephew, Fernando Sánchez Arellano, 36, aka El Ingeniero, took control of the cartel. He is the responsible party for the violence with Teodoro García Simental, an ex-lieutenant in the organization that later aligned with the Sinaloa Cartel to fight for territory in Baja California. After El Teo broke from the Arellano Felix Cartel, a fierce battle began against Fernando Sánchez Arellano, aka El Ingeniero aka El Alineador. In order to maintain control of the Baja California border region, Sanchez Arellano aligned with the Beltran Leyva Brothers, Los Zetas and the Juarez Cartel. This move was made in order maintain strategic plazas to include: Tijuana, Playas de Rosarito, Ensenada, Tecate, and Mexicali (Baja California) and San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonoita and Nogales (Sonora).

In the areas mentioned above along the border of Baja California, there are 2,721 individuals missing, the majority of which have been reported as kidnappings.

Is the Cell Previously Run by El Teo Still Operating?

Authorities believed that although Teodoro García Simental was detained in La Paz, Baja California Sur, his group is still operating. The only question that remains is who his successor will be now that the anticipated replacement, Raydel López Uriarte, El Muletas, is presumed to be dead. Alive and arrested.