Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) – The sons of the infamous drug lord El Chapo Guzmán, known as the Chapitos, have become richer, more powerful, and more ruthless than their father, according to DEA Director Anne Milgram. During a conference on Tuesday, she provided a detailed account of the Sinaloa Cartel’s growing firepower, changes under the leadership of El Chapo’s heirs, the impact of fentanyl on the United States, and Mexico’s role in the global drug trade.
Milgram stated that the cartel, now under the control of El Chapo’s children, has never been stronger or more profitable. The White House has identified the cartel’s presence in over 40 countries, and Milgram questioned the Mexican government’s claim that fentanyl is not produced in Mexico, but rather is only a transit territory in the global synthetic drug supply chain.
Milgram identified the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel as responsible for nearly all the fentanyl and methamphetamine consumed in the United States. She highlighted China’s central role in the synthetic drug supply chain, but noted that criminal groups have shifted from importing finished products to acquiring precursor chemicals used in drug production. These precursors are purchased from China, sent to Mexico for fentanyl production, and then trafficked into the United States via land, air, and sea.
Milgram has previously expressed her belief that Mexico should do more to address the damage caused by the drug trade. However, she did not provide a concrete answer when asked whether increased pressure on the López Obrador administration would lead to greater success in combating drug cartels. She did acknowledge that cooperation from China in the fight against drugs is unlikely.
On April 14, the US authorities announced a pursuit of Los Chapitos, claiming that the Sinaloa Cartel is primarily responsible for the fentanyl that is killing Americans. Milgram referred to fentanyl as “the most urgent crisis we face as a country” and “the biggest threat we’ve ever had to combat.” She explained how the Sinaloa Cartel shifted its focus to fentanyl before El Chapo’s recapture in 2016, identifying Chinese suppliers of precursor chemicals and their US emissaries. The cartel’s profit margins are enormous, with counterfeit pills costing 10-20 cents to produce in Mexico and selling for $5-30 in the United States.
In March, the DEA announced the creation of specialized units targeting the financial and drug trafficking structures of the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel. While Milgram did not disclose which countries Los Chapitos operate in, court documents reveal a Pan-American corridor stretching from Peru to Canada. However, the Mexican government has expressed disapproval of DEA operations in their territory, calling them “abusive and arrogant interference.”
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