Notable Figures: Los Salazares

"HEARST" for Borderland Beat

At approximately 2:10 pm on Friday, June 11 2021, officers in a patrol car in Obregon City, Sonora signaled for a black Jeep Cherokee SUV that was driving without license plates to pull over. The driver of the black SUV chose to ignore their signal and refused to pull over. The driver in fact chose to speed up instead, attempting to lose the patrol car. 

This led to a high speed chase between the black SUV and several police cars across multiple streets in Obregon. The chase finally ended at the overpass on No Reelección street in the Benito Juarez neighborhood. The three subjects abroad the black SUV grabbed their long guns and tried to flee the area on foot. One of the runners was apprehended whereas two were able to slip away, hiding among the lines of backed up cars until they found a route to escape the area.

The black SUV was then searched. It was found that the SUV had been modified to be armored. Inside the vehicle ammunition and tactical vests were found.

The man who police managed to apprehend was found to be Arturo Serrano Brenan, alias "El Chango". El Chango is the son-in-law of Alfredo Salazar Ramírez, alias "El Muñeco". Chango is beleived to be a leadership figure within Los Brenan and Los Hermanos Robles Mata who served Los Salazar and operate in Bahia de Kino and the coast of Hermosillo.

Chango reports to Jesús Francisco Sarrazín Lohr alias "El Pirata", a powerful figure currently in the Salazar organization. Pirata reportedly directed Chango to move from his homebase of Bahia and Hermosillo coast in order to lead an incursion into Obregon's drug corridor on behalf of Los Salazar.

Los Salazares

So who is El Chango related to by marriage within the Salazar family? And how does the recently arrested El Cazador and Los Cazadors play into the Salazar organization? 

With the arrest two Los Salazar associated figures, Cazador and Chango, occuring on the same day, it might be worthwhile to give an brief overview of the Salazar family structure and the Salazar affiliated groups that operate within the state of Sonora. 

The core of the Salazar organization lies in their familial ties. The following is entirely based on previous coverage on Borderland Beat (more stories linked in sources).

Leader until 2011

ALIAS: Don Adán

NAME: Adán Salazar Zamorano

OTHER ALIASES: 

STATUS: Inactive, Arrested Feb 15 2011

A lieutenant of El Chapo, had an alliance with BLO, brother of El Tio Pin, father of El Muñeco and El Indio, led Los Salazar for over 20 years

Leader - Current

ALIAS: Tío Pin (Uncle Pin)

NAME: José Crispín Salazar Zamorano

OTHER ALIASES: 

STATUS: Unknown

Brother of Don Adán, thought to be the current leader of Los Salazar

       

             

Leader until 2012

ALIAS: El Muñeco

NAME: Alfredo Salazar Ramírez

OTHER ALIASES: El Justiciero, El Pelos

STATUS: Inactive, arrested Nov 1 2012

Son of Don Adán, nephew of Tío Pin

 

Lieutenant - Former

ALIAS: El Indio

NAME: Adán Salazar Ramírez

OTHER ALIASES: 

STATUS: Inactive, found dead May 20 2016 

Son of Don Adán, nephew of Tío Pin

 

Lieutenant - Former

ALIAS: La Cria

NAME: Alonso Salazar 

OTHER ALIASES: 

STATUS: Inactive, killed August 2019

El Muñeco’s son, brother-in-law to Chango 

 

Lieutenant - Former (as of June 11 2021)

ALIAS: El Chango

NAME: Arturo Serrano Brenan

OTHER ALIASES: 

STATUS: Inactive, arrested June 11 2021

Son-in-law of El Muñeco, brother-in-law to La Cria, he reported to El Pirata

A leader of Los Brenan and Los Hermanos Robles Mata, who operate in Bahaia de Kino and the coast of Hermosillo. Whether Los Brenan and Hermanos Robles Mata are an affiliate group or a Los Salazar cell is unknown at this time.

 

Lieutenant - Current

ALIAS: El Pirata 

NAME: Jesús Francisco Sarrazín Lohr

OTHER ALIASES: 

STATUS: Active

El Chango reported to him, very powerful, may run day to day operations for Tío Pin

 

Head of Sicarios - Former

ALIAS: El H

NAME: Édgar Alonso Villegas Sarrazin

OTHER ALIASES: 

STATUS: Inactive, killed July 2020

 

 

Leader's Son

ALIAS: Unknown

NAME: Édgar Salazar Gaxiola

OTHER ALIASES: 

STATUS: Arrested

Tío Pin’s son, later testified against his father in court in regards to the murder of a journalist

 

Plaza Boss - Former

ALIAS: El Napoleon

NAME: Sergio Alberto del Villar Suarez

OTHER ALIASES: 

STATUS: Inactive, killed August 8 2019

Arrested in 2018 in Guaymas but was released in 2019

Plaza Boss of Nogales and Agua Prieta - Former

ALIAS: El 04

NAME: Manuel de Jesus Palma Morquecho

OTHER ALIASES:  El Macario

STATUS: Arrested, detained in Agua Prieta

He was boss of plazas in Agua Prieta and Nogales for Los Salazares 

Plaza Boss of Nogales and Hermosillo - Former

ALIAS: El 05

NAME: José Dolores Palma Morquecho

OTHER ALIASES: N/A

STATUS: Unknown

Boss of the plaza in Nogales and Hermosillo

Plaza Boss of Yecora - Former

ALIAS: El Chupón

NAME: Carlos Fernando Aguayo Corrales

OTHER ALIASES: El 20

STATUS: Inactive, Killed March 2018

Boss of the plaza in Yecora after the arrest of Hugo Guerrero, alias El 01

Los Salazares Affiliates

Above is some but not all of the Los Salazares affiliated groups thought to operating in the state of Sonora. Some groups have stronger ties to Los Salazares then others. 

Some of the groups in fact used to fight Salazares for territory years ago, such as Los Memos, however they are now operating as affiliates on behalf of them. Some other groups not reviewed but worth mentioning includes Los Saboris and Los Paredes, among others. 

Los Cazadores

OTHER NAMES: Los Chubetos, Gente Nueva de Altar, Gente Nueva de Cazadore

REGION: Altar, Sonora 

Leader, Plaza Boss of Altar - Former

ALIAS: El Cazador

NAME: Humberto Limon Lopez 

OTHER ALIASES: El Chubeto, El Noveno

STATUS: Arrested June 11 2021

Head of Sicarios - Former

ALIAS: El Durango

NAME: José Bibiano Cabrera

OTHER ALIASES: El Traka

STATUS: Arrested April 2021

 

Los Rumas

OTHER NAMES: Los Costeños

REGION: Coast of Caborca, Sonora

Leader

ALIAS: El Costeño

NAME: Luis Abel Gaxiola Ochoa 

OTHER ALIASES: N/A

STATUS: Unknown

Leader

ALIAS: El Indio 

NAME: Carlos Humberto Gaxiola Ochoa

OTHER ALIASES: N/A

STATUS: Unknown

Lieutenant - Former `

ALIAS: El Llavero

NAME: Raul Trejo Martinez

OTHER ALIASES: N/A

STATUS: Arrested on July 26 2021

Was responsible for the organization's sicarios on the coast of Caborca.

Los Memos

OTHER NAMES: N/A
REGION: Sonoyta, Sonora

Deals in trafficking of drugs and humans. Used to be at war with Los Salazars but they now are affiliates, share Sonoyta with Salazars and Los Cuzas, who they are related to by marriage

Leader

ALIAS: El Memo 

NAME: Adelmo Nieblas Gonzalez 

OTHER ALIASES: El Señor, El G3

STATUS: Unknown

Los Cuzas

OTHER NAMES: N/A
REGION: Sonoyta, Sonora

Deals in trafficking of drugs and humans. Part of Los Salazars, share Sonoyta with Salazars and Los Memos, who they are related to by marriage

Leader

ALIAS: El Cuza 

NAME:  Unknown

OTHER ALIASES: N/A

STATUS: Unknown

Married  to a daughter of Adelmo Nieblas, El Memo

Los Jabalis
OTHER NAMES: N/A
REGION: Santa Ana and Magdalena, Sonora

Plaza Boss of Santa Ana and Magdalena - Former

ALIAS: El Jabali

NAME: Jose Paulino Vazquez Villagrana

OTHER ALIASES: N/A

STATUS: Arrested, arrested February 2010

Plaza Boss of Santa Ana and Magdalena - Former

ALIAS: El Placas 

NAME: Cesar Villagrana Salazar

OTHER ALIASES: N/A

STATUS: Arrested in Nogales

Took over control the cities of Magdalena and Santa Ana after the arrest of the El Jabali.

 

Sources: Sol Yucatan, Expreso, Diario del Yaqui, Valor Por Tamaulipas, Infobae

Los Salazar Borderlands Articles: Los Salazar, This is How Things Are in Sonora, The Fight for Sonoran Desert, The Order of War for Control of Caborca, Conflict in Magdalena