Exposing the Carrasco Narco Family of 'Los Chapitos'

 "Enojon", "Char", "HEARST", "Crux1469" For Borderland Beat

Early Sunday morning, June 23, 2024, Los Noticieristas, Luz Noticias, and Ríodoce news sites based out of Sinaloa reported a heavy armed confrontation in the small community of Sanchez Celis syndicate of El Dorado, Sinaloa. The armed clashes started at about 5am on various videos published heavy caliber gun sounds could be heard and as more news reports came in, it was confirmed that Mexican Military Special Forces were conducting a raid against an organized crime leader. That crime figure was ‘El Chore,’ a criminal leader and member of 'Los Chapitos' or 'Los Menores' faction of Sinaloa Cartel. 

Initial reports alleged the deaths of Raul Carrasco Lechuga Aka “El Chore” along with six to seven gunmen, but information could not be verified as bodies needed to be identified. On Monday June 24, 2024, Los Noticieristas confirmed the death of El Chore along six others so a total of seven deaths. 

El Chore was described in numerous narco-ballads by Panchito Arredondo as starting his criminal career at a very young age carrying an AK-47 assault rifle and moving up through the ranks. Formerly operating as an enforcer for 'Los Damaso', but when the war erupted between Los Chapitos and Los Damaso in 2017, El Chore opted to join Los Chapitos. El Chore was given the El Dorado plaza after Los Damaso were wiped out in the war, which was a key plaza and base of operations for Los Damaso as most of their family members lived there.

The Interview 

During an interview with news publication Los Noticieristas, a woman named Cecilia would state she received a phone call around 5:00 AM from her son, a 17 year old named Omar, asking her to pick him up from work as a confrontation with security forces had erupted. When asked what he was doing there Cecilia claimed Omar was at work tasked to clean trailers for an unknown company along with two other minors, a 12 year old and a 11 year old who is also believed to of been working alongside Omar, stating they were screaming as gunfire rung in the background until the call dropped. 

When finally reaching the area to check on her son and the others Cecilia states she was prevented from entering by security forces who refused to disclose the status of those inside, instead responding by pointing their riles at Cecilia and telling to leave, only learning the conditions of those involved by a child who managed to flee the scene, the unidentified child would claim they had been shot at while escaping but that Omar and the others are still there. 

(Video by Los Los Noticieristas, Interview of Cecilia Carrasco) 

A translation is as follows: 

[00:01] Ernesto Martínezc: "Can you tell us what happened here?"

[00:03] Cecilia: "My son called me at around 5 in the morning, calling me crying and screaming to pick him up because there was a confrontation..."

[00:11] Ernesto Martínez: "At what time was that?"

[00:12] Cecilia: "At 5 in the morning." 

[00:13] Unknown: "He's still there?" 

[00:14] Cecilia: "He's inside there, he's a minor and there's other minors in there..."

[00:19] Ernesto Martínez: "How old is he?" 

[00:20] Cecilia: "He's seventeen, there's one that's twelve and I'm not sure if there's another one of 11 [years old]." 

[00:23] Ernesto Martínez: "What is your son called?" 

[00:24] Cecilia: "Omar" 

[00:27] Ernesto Martínez: "And what was he doing there?" 

[00:27] Cecilia: "Cleaning the trailers." 

[00:28] Ernesto Martínez: "In where?" 

[00:29] Cecilia: "a yard of trailers." 

Unintelligible 

 

[00:34] Cecilia: "Yes the trailers."

[00:35] Ernesto Martínez: "Do they belong to a company?" 

[00:36] Cecilia: "Yes." 

[00:38] Ernesto Martínez: "Who do you know is still there?" 

[00:41] Cecilia: "Just the [drivers] they're the only ones who stay there, they leave their trailers and rest." 

[00:45] Ernesto Martínez: "At what time did you say your son called you?" 

[00:46] Cecilia: "At five [in the morning]." 

[00:46] Ernesto Martínez: "At five, and what did he tell you?" 

[00:48] Cecilia: "To come pick him up because the Government came and began shooting..., he screamed and screamed saying "mom don't leave me here", and I asked what happened but he wouldn't answer, he and the other kids would just scream while [gunshots] were heard..." 

[01:07] Ernesto Martínez: "You heard all of that?" 

[01:08] Cecilia: "We were on our way, when he called the shootout already erupted..."

Unintelligible

[01:15] Cecilia: "He called around five." 

[01:16] Unknown: "And after that?" 

[01:17] Cecilia: "I came here." 

[01:18] Unknown: "Did you have any communication with him after?"

[01:19] Cecilia: "No..." 

[01:22] Ernesto Martínez: "Did the call drop?" 

[01:22] Cecilia: "Yes, I called but he wouldn't answer." 

[01:25] Ernesto Martínez: "What have the authorities told you?" 

[01:26] Cecilia: "[Nothing] they wouldn't let me enter, I told them I just want to check and make sure they're okay but they wouldn't get near, they'd point their rifles at us and tell us to leave." 

[01:35] Ernesto Martínez: "And what did they say? They wouldn't tell you if there was anyone injured or...."

[01:36] Cecilia: "No they'd just say that they don't know and that it doesn't correspond to them, a kid who was running by because he managed to flee..." 

[01:44] Ernesto Martínez: "How old is the kid?"

[01:45] Cecilia: "Its a little kid as there were kids from 10 to 11 years old here cleaning the trailers...He said he was shot at while fleeing, [saying] "they shot at me, they shot at me, the rest are still inside"...." 

[02:10] Ernesto Martínez: "And the kid that escaped where is he?" 

[02:12] Cecilia: "I don't know, I tried called him but he wouldn't answer..." 

[02:14] Ernesto Martínez: "The one who escaped?" 

[02:15] Cecilia: "Yes." 

[02:16] Ernesto Martínez: "He took shelter [somewhere]." 

[02:17] Cecilia: "I believe so, out of fear I don't know." 

[02:19] Ernesto Martínez: "You don't know what the child's name?" 

[02:20] Cecilia: "No." 

[02:21] Ernesto Martínez: "And he also worked there?"

[0:22] Cecilia: *Nods Yes* 

[02:23] Ernesto Martínez: "Right now they haven't told you anything? What will you do? Have you talked to Human Right [Organizations]?"

[02:26] Cecilia: "Unintelligible...But they wouldn't answer, we just want them to let us enter and check." 

[02:31] Ernesto Martínez: "Not a single official has spoken with you?" 

[02:32] Cecilia: "No nobody, nobody." 

[02:33] Unintelligible  

[02:35] Cecilia: "Yes." 

[02:38] Ernesto Martínez: "And what are you asking them for?" 

[02:39] Cecilia: "Well to let us inside to check on them." 

[02:41] Ernesto Martínez: "But if you can't enter the area because it's been secured, what will you ask [instead]?"

[02:47] Cecilia: "We'll still go inside, if they want to do something against us then oh well, our children are in there and we'll do whatever we can, I already told them I'm going to wait if not I'm going inside...." 

[02:57] Unknown: "How many others are with your son in there?"

[03:00] Cecilia: "Four kids are the ones who come in to work, and there's the drivers..."

[03:04] Ernesto Martínez: "Did you hear...the helicopter that landed nearby?" 

[03:07] Cecilia: "Yes."

[03:08] Ernesto Martínez: "Where did it land?"

[03:08] Cecilia: "Over there." 

[03:10] Ernesto Martínez: "It's there?" 

[03:10] Cecilia: [Yes] it's there. 

[03:11] Ernesto Martínez: "Do you know if that helicopter was shot at?" 

[03:13] Cecilia: "Excuse me?"

[03:14] Ernesto Martínez: "Was the helicopter shot?" 

[03:14] Cecilia: "No."

[03:17] Ernesto Martínez: "Did any of their ambulances come in? Or anything?" 

[03:20] Cecilia: "No." 

[03:22] Ernesto Martínez: "Never?"

[03:22] Cecilia: "...Some of them went in and began filling their cars with gas and diesel, taking suitcases that were inside, they just went in to steal. They can steal whatever we just want to go in and make sure our coworkers are good."

[03:38] Ernesto Martínez: "What is this place called?" 

[03:39] Cecilia: "Sánchez Celis."
 

[03:41] Ernesto Martínez: The town of Sánchez Celis. 

[03:44] Ernesto Martínez: "Thank you very much, can you tell me your name." 

[03:46] Cecilia: "Cecilia." 

[03:47] Unknown: "Did your son tell you if he was..." 

The Government Announces the Names of the Deceased

On June 24, 2024, the government announced the identities of the deceased. The men killed were: 

Raúl Alberto Carrasco Lechuga, alias “El Chore”

Omar Joaquín García Carrasco, aliases “Omarcito” and “Omarcillo”

Juan Enrique Aragón Niebla

Manuel Antonio Díaz Osuna

Emmanuel Guevara Esparza

Oscar López Silva, alias “El Chinito”

A man known as “El Galleta”. 

Social media was soon flooded with images of the wake and funeral ceremonies being held for the cartel figures who had died. Photos show that El Chore and Omarcito appear to have had a joint wake.

Cecilia’s Son Was a Cartel Member

Cecilia’s son Omar Garcia Carrasco, who she claimed merely worked washing down tractor trailers, was a cartel member known by the aliases “Omarcito” and “Omarcillo”. 

He posed on social media with a firearm fitted with a drum magazine, standing in front of a statue of Santa Muerte. He’s seen wearing four radios in the photo shown above. 

The Damning Facebook Post by Cecilia’s Daughter

One of Cecilia Carrasco’s daughters made a Facebook post with a photo of Omar. In the post she mourns the loss of her brother and her “uncle”. This presumably refers to Raúl Carrasco Lechuga, criminal alias “El Chore”, based on the last names of the deceased.

This means that her mother Cecilia is the sister of not only Raúl Carrasco Lechuga, alias “El Chore”, but she is also the sister of Chore’s well-known cartel figure brothers, like:

Jesus Manuel Carrasco Lechuga, alias “El Pato” 

Unknown Carrasco Lechuga, alias “El Chivo”  

As well as having a cousin named Jose Federico Lechuga Franco who is a Sinaloa Cartel member. 

In addition to Omar, Cecilia’s other son Carlos Garcia Carrasco appears to be involved in the cartel as well based on social media photos. 

El Pato was a Sinaloa Cartel figure that is best-known for a video in which he approaches a stolen military pickup truck driven by CDS hitmen. The footage was allegedly filmed during the chaos of Ovidio Guzman’s 2019 arrest. 

(Video By: Culiacán Alterado Plus, footage of stolen SEDENA vehicle)

 

El Pato in Culiacanazo

On October 17, 2019, Mexican authorities launched a raid at a home in Tres Rios, Culiacan, which captured Ovidio Guzman Lopez. The Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection at first claimed that Ovidio was captured due to happen stance, later, however, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador acknowledged that the soldiers were sent to the home due to an arrest warrant for Ovidio. 

While Ovidio was captured, Sinaloa Cartel hitmen began a public campaign of violence that intended to not only prevent Ovidio from being taken to Mexico City by federal forces, but to harm government personnel and effectively take the civilian population hostage. 

Videos of El Pato and the stolen military vehicles, as well as clips of hitmen aiming 50 cals, became emblematic of the violence that the Sinaloa Cartel was willing to inflict on the population of Culiacan.

The next day, on October 18, 2019, President Lopez Obrador announced that “his security cabinet made the decision to release [Ovidio] Guzmán from custody and that [he] supported their decision.” 

The President said the “cabinet made the decision in response to the threat to the lives of civilians and of the soldiers involved in the operation.”

The Sinaloa Cartel’s response seemed to have been effective. The day of Ovidio’s capture and the subsequent outbreak of violence is commonly referred to as “Culiacanazo”.

Cecilia’s Brothers

Pato’s family seemed to be well-aware of his alias. In a video posted by “ivonnecarrasco” on Tiktok, Pato can be seen blowing out a birthday candle, being sung to by his family, surrounded by duck (which is “pato”) plushies. 

El Pato, despite his well known act of violence, seemed to meet a non-violent end. A few years ago he died due to health-related issues.

Social media posts shows a large tribute mural painted of Pato and presumably two of his favorite vehicles, which appear to be restored early 1980s-era Ford pickup trucks - a style which is favored by Sinaloa rancheros.

Cecilia has posted a number of tributes to her brother Pato on social media. 

Some of these tributes are stills from the famous Culiacanzo video. This demonstrates that Cecilia was not only aware of Pato's cartel involvement, but also unashamed of his participation in the violence of Culiacanazo.

Cecilia’s brother El Chore was a well-known Sinaloa Cartel figure who began his career working under Dámaso López Núñez, alias “El Licenciado”,  and his son Dámaso López Serrano, alias “Mini Lic”. 

El Chore and his brother El Chivo later began working more directly for the Guzman family, operating primarily near Eldorado, Sinaloa. 

Chore was rumored to be somewhat of a hothead. He allegedly carried out a kidnapping which upset members of the Sinaloa Cartel - Mayo faction and it earned him the ire of Mayito Flaco. 

A Common Tactic 

Cecilia Carrasco appears to have withheld important and relevant information when she presented her son, a gun-carrying Sinaloa Cartel member, to the media as if he was merely a car washer. 

She also only mentioned being concerned for the safety of her son, which is interesting because her brother, El Chore, was already rumored to have been killed in the shooting and yet she made no appeals for information on his safety. 

Maybe her concern for Chore simply slipped her mind. Or maybe she was concerned that Chore's reputation as a high level Sinaloa Cartel member might make her appeal less sympathetic. 

Having civilians express faux-outrage over the treatment of their relatives by government forces as a way to pressure law enforcement to release cartel members is not a new or novel tactic. It's a practice that is encouraged and sometimes paid for by cartel groups themselves. 

Take for example the 2014 arrest of the Gil Acosta brothers, known subordinates of Sinaloa Cartel's Ivan Guzman. 

Relatives of the brothers spoke to the media, claiming the military had unfairly kidnapped them. 

Linea Directa Portal wrote that "a relative, who requested anonymity, said during the morning of February, Navy soldiers forced down the door and they threatened two adults who live in the home. They say the men were questioned for two hours and then taken by the soldiers - two men who live in their home in order to take care of their grandparents.”

Similar tactics can also be seen in Michoacan, when civilians are “encouraged” to storm military bases when local cartel leaders are arrested under the pretense of them 'rescuing' someone from the military. 

Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon have a similar problem with specific “human rights groups” that seem to only advocate for the rights of men alleged to be cartel members. 

Sources: Los Noticieristas, NACLA , CNN , Linea Directa Portal

Categories: cartel de sinaloa, CDS, Char, Eldorado, Enojon, gunfight, Hearst, Los Chapitos, Los Damaso, military, sinaloa