The Unseen Faces of CDS: Leaked Intelligence Maps and Charts - Part 2

"HEARST" for Borderland Beat

The news publication Contralinea released images from seven old military intelligence documents which cover the Sinaloa Cartel (Cártel de Sinaloa, CDS). 

It's important to emphasize that all of these documents, even the ones produced in 2022, depict outdated information. It would be a mistake to believe this information reflects the current state of CDS. 

This is part 2 of covering these seven documents. To see part 1, please click here.

Document 05: Conflict between CDS Cells

Date Prepared: 2020/2021*

Conflict between CDS cells in Culiacan, Sinaloa

• Los Rusos, led by Miguel Angel Gaxiola Quintero (a) El Ruso, and Los Ninis, under the command of Nestor Isidro Perez Salas (a) El Nini, operate in the municipality. 

• El Ruso is part of Ismael Zambada García (a) El Mayo Zambada's security detail; while El Nini is head of security for Los Chapitos, which is headed by Iván Archivaldo Guzman Salazar.

• The rivalry between Los Rusos and Los Ninis began on Nov 19, 2015, when the former cell “paddled” 11 municipal police officers who protect Los Chapitos for extorting civilians. 

• Since then, both groups have been fighting for control over the production and sale of synthetic drugs in Culiacán; although the conflict does not escalate to the top of the CDS factions. 

• The greatest violent expression was on March 06, when they clashed in the Loma de Rodriguera neighborhood in Culiacán. 

• Martín Antonio Acosta Cázarez (a) Martón, operator of Los Ninis, was killed and four of his members were arrested when they tried to finish off a wounded member of Los Rusos in the hospital. 

• Their hostility is the main cause of violence in Culiacán, which in the year ranks as the most violent municipality in the state with 56 HVDOs, ranking 14th highest nationally. 

Los Ninis

• They operate as El Chapito's (Ivan’s) security force.

• The group is made up of young men between 20 and 35 years of age, with a penchant for violence. 

• They participated in the attack on the Army (SEDENA), resulting in five dead and 10 injured (Sept. 30, 2016) and the actions to free Ovidio Guzmán (Oct. 17, 2019).

• They also compete with members of Los Guanos. 

• They have a presence in downtown Culiacán. 

Los Rusos

• They are part of Zambada García's security force. 

• They act with less prominence, but with a high level of violence.  

• They operate in eight neighborhoods and two districts in the north of Culiacán. 

Considerations

• There is a prevailing risk of increased violence due to their competition for dominance in the production of crystal meth and fentanyl. 

• Another front of the war between cells of El Mayo and Los Chapitoscan be seen in Salvador Alvarado in the Evora region, where Los Chapitos broke with Los Cholos (at the beginning of Feb. 2020) under the command of Orso Ivan Gastelum, imprisoned in CEFERESO 1, who is said to receive support from Los Mayos. 

• El Mayo Zambada employs a strategy of conciliation with Los Chapitos and unity within CDS, with the objective of positioning his faction as hegemonic. 

Document 06: Four Blocs of Power - Sinaloa

Date Prepared: March 2022

NARCOTRAFFICKING 

THE "SINALOA CARTEL" HAS A GREATER PRESENCE IN THE STATE OF SINALOA, COMPARED TO THE "BELTRAN LEYVA-CARRILLO FUENTES" ALLIANCE, AS WELL AS IN THE STATES BORDERING THIS STATE (NAYARIT, DURANGO, SONORA AND CHIHUAHUA). 

THE PRINCIPAL LEADERS ARE 

• IVAN ARCHIVALDO AND ALFREDO GUZMAN SALAZAR AND/OR "LOS MENORES" (SONS OF CHAPO GUZMAN)

• ISMAEL ZAMBADA GARCIA (a) "EL MAYO ZAMBADA"

• RAFAEL CARO QUINTERO (a) "EL VIEJITO" 

AMONG THE CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE AFOREMENTIONED CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE: CULTIVATION, PLANTING, HARVESTING AND TRAFFIC OF ENERGY (AMAPOLA, MARIHUANA AND ITS DERIVATIVES), WHETHER BY LAND, SEA OR AIR; MANUFACTURING OF SYNTHETIC DRUGS (METHAMPHETAMINE, HEROIN AND FENTANYL AND/OR FENTANYL), THROUGH CLANDESTINE LABORATORIES, MONEY LAUNDERING THROUGH PHANTOM OR FICTITIOUS COMPANIES, THEFT OF FUEL, ILLEGAL DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY, VEHICLE THEFT, DRUG DEALING AND ASSAULTS. 

THE "SINALOA CARTEL" AND THE "BELTRÁN LEYVA-CARRILLO FUENTES" ALLIANCE MAINTAIN THEIR CRIMINAL AND LOGISTIC STRUCTURE THROUGH THE PROFIT FROM THE DIFFERENT ILLICIT ACTIVITIES THEY CARRY OUT. 

THEY ARE KNOWN FOR BRIBING/CORRUPTING PEOPLE WITH IMPORTANT POSITIONS WITHIN THE DIFFERENT FEDERAL, STATE AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS, WHICH THEN FAVOR CDS GROUPS, AND THUS, THEY MAINTAIN THEIR HEGEMONY IN THE DIFFERENT STATES THEY ARE PRESENT IN. 

THE CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION "BELTRÁN LEYVA" AND "LOS CARRILLO FUENTES" HAVE FAUSTO ISIDRO MEZA FLORES (a) "EL CHAPO ISIDRO" AND ÁLVARO GUADALUPE CARRILLO FUENTES (a) "EL LAPA" AS THE MOST VISIBLE LEADERS. 

Document 07: Critical Areas 

Date Prepared: Unknown

CONTESTED AREAS IN SINALOA

AREA A: CURRENTLY A LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT

CONFLICT BETWEEN 

VICENTE PORTILLO GIL (OPERATOR FROM THE BELTRÁN LEYVA FACTION)

ADELMO NÚÑEZ MOLINA (OPERATOR FROM THE CHAPITOS CRIMINAL FACTION) 

OVER THE CONTROL OF THE PLANTING, HARVESTING AND TRANSFER OF NARCOTICS. 

AREA B: CURRENTLY A LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT

IN JUAN JOSÉ RÍOS, NEAR AHOME AND GUASAVE, THE CONFLICT INVOLVES

LATENT BELTRAN LEYVA GROUPS

THE CHAPITOS 

FOR THE CONTROL OF DRUG TRAFFICKING AND RETAIL SALES

AREA C: CURRENTLY A LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT

CONFLICT BETWEEN 

MARIO GERARDO CASTRO GAXIOLA "EL NOVILLERO" (OPERATOR FROM THE CHAPITOS FACTION) 

MIGUEL VALERIO CERVANTES TAPIA (a) "EL SAPO" AND/OR "LA BESTIA" (OPERATOR FROM THE MAYO FACTION)

AREA D: CURRENTLY A HIGH INTENSITY CONFLICT

CONFLICT BETWEEN 

HÉCTOR ROMÁN ANGULO (a) "EL PINTO" (OPERATOR FROM THE GUANO FACTION) 

THE SALGUEIRO NEVAREZ FAMILY (OPERATOR FROM THE CHAPITOS FACTION)

AREA E: CURRENTLY A MEDIUM INTENSITY CONFLICT

IN THE MUNICIPALITIES OF SAN IGNACIO AND COSALÁ IN SINALOA, ALONG WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES OF TAMAZULA AND SAN DIMAS IN DURANGO, THERE IS A CONFLICT BETWEEN

EFRAÍN TREJO RETAMOZA (a) "EL R-1" (OPERATOR FROM THE CHAPITOS FACTION)

ADOLFO ZEPEDA DE LOS RÍOS (OPERATOR FROM THE  DÁMASO FACTION) 

FOR THE CONTROL OF PLANTING, CULTIVATION AND TRAFFICKING OF MARIJUANA AND POPPY.

AREA F: CURRENTLY A HIGH INTENSITY CONFLICT

THE CONFLICT IS BETWEEN 

RAMÓN GALLARDO CAMPISTA (a) "EL GATO CAMPISTA" AND MARIO GAMBOA RUELAS (a) "EL MARILLO" (BOTH OPERATORS FROM THE BELTRÁN LEYVA FACTION)

IVAN ERNESTO BÁEZ MARTÍNEZ (OPERATOR FROM THE CHAPITOS/MAYO FACTIONS)

AREA G: CURRENTLY A MEDIUM INTENSITY CONFLICT

THE CONFLICT IS BETWEEN 

ABEL CENICERO PACHECO (a) "EL ABELINO"  (OPERATOR FROM THE GUANO FACTION) 

FRANCISCO JAVIER DE LA RIVA VALDEZ (a) "EL TITO" (OPERATOR FROM THE DÁMASO FACTION) 

BOTH HAVE A PRESENCE IN CONCORDIA MUNICIPALITY

AREA H: CURRENTLY A MEDIUM INTENSITY CONFLICT

THE CONFLICT IS BETWEEN 

SAÚL ERNESTO LOYA SARABIA (a) “EL SAÚL LOYA" (OPERATOR FROM THE CHAPITOS/MAYO FACTIONS)

GENARO BAUTISTA ÁLVAREZ (a) "APACHE" (OPERATOR FROM THE BELTRÁN LEYVA FACTION)

DURANGO

AREA A: CURRENTLY A LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT

THE CONFLICT IS BETWEEN 

THE "CABRERA SARABIA" GROUP  (OPERATORS FROM THE MAYO FACTION) 

THE "LAGUNA INDEPENDENT CARTEL" 

FOR CONTROL OF THE RETAIL SALE OF DRUGS AND THE SMUGGLING OF NARCOTICS, SINCE THE LAGUNA REGION IS A LOCATION WHERE SMUGGLING LAND ROUTES CONVERGE. 

AREA B: CURRENTLY A MEDIUM INTENSITY CONFLICT

THE CONFLICT IS BETWEEN 

THE "PECHERAS" CRIME GROUP, SUPPORTED BY EFRAÍN TREJO RETAMOZA (a) "R-1" (OPERATOR FROM THE CHAPITOS FACTION)

THE "ZEPEDA" AND/OR "CIENES" CRIME GROUP 

FOR THE CONTROL OF OPIUM AND MARIHUANA SEEDING AND CULTIVATION. 

AREA C: CURRENTLY A LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT

THE CONFLICT IS BETWEEN 

THE "CABRERA SARABIA" GROUP (OPERATORS FROM THE MAYO FACTION) 

OTHER PARTS OF THE "CABRERA SARABIA" GROUP (OPERATORS FROM THE MAYO FACTION) 

THE "CABRERA SARABIA" GROUP HAS INTERNAL STRUGGLES WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION, DUE TO THE FACT THAT ITS MEMBERS ARE EACH TRYING TO CONTROL THE PLANTING AND CULTIVATION OF DRUGS IN THE MUNICIPALITIES OF TAMAZULA AND CANELAS. 

AREA D: INTENSITY OF CONFLICT NOT STATED

IN THE MUNICIPALITIES OF THE STATE OF ZACATECAS THAT BORDER DURANGO, THE CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS 

"CARTEL DEL GOLFO"

"CARTEL DEL NOROESTE" 

"ZETAS" 

ARE PRESENT. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE PRESENCE OF THESE CRIMINAL GROUPS IS SPORADIC DUE TO THE CONTROL EXERCISED BY THE CABRERA SARABIA GROUP AND SO FAR NO CONFRONTATIONS ARE KNOWN TO HAVE OCCURRED

Are these documents useful? 

As many have pointed out, these documents show some very old information. So what’s the point of translating and highlighting them? 

Because they can be mined for names and pictures to fill in our current charts. 

As an example, these documents enable us to update old organization charts, such as Ivan’s Top Guys from this previous story, with faces and names as the understanding of the organization develops.

In the document Critical Areas, there is a photo of El Titan, the leader of Mazatlan, which has never been seen before. Or if it's been seen before, it's certainly been well hidden from the internet nowadays.  

The same document also verifies, with federal intelligence, a rumored photo of R1.  The same document also verifies, with federal intelligence, a rumored photo of R1. This enables us to revise and update the chart of the top lieutenants of Ivan Archivaldo and Jesus Alfredo.

The documents also depict a new photo of Mayito Flaco, the son of El Mayo and his current successor. There were only three known images of Flaco prior.

The documents also depict a new photo of Mayito Flaco, the son of El Mayo and his current successor. The resolution is terrible. There were only three known images of Flaco prior. 

*Note: The government documents consistently refer to the Cártel de Sinaloa (CDS) as Cartel del Pacifico, which is just another, less commonly used name for CDS. In order to avoid confusion, all instances of Pacifico have been switched to CDS.