PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - A recent report by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has underscored the extensive international reach of Mexico's two most powerful criminal organizations, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG). These groups not only operate domestically but also extend their illicit activities globally, with a presence recorded in over 100 countries each.
On July 12, George Papadopoulos, the Deputy Administrator of the DEA, published the document 'Protecting the United States' Homeland: Fighting the Flow from the Southwest Border.' The report unveils how Mexican cartels have proliferated internationally, revealing a severe threat to global security.
A particular emphasis was put on the growing concern of fentanyl trafficking, a deadly opioid chiefly responsible for deaths among U.S. citizens aged 18 to 45. Papadopoulos pointed the finger at the Sinaloa Cartel and the CJNG as primary perpetrators of this lethal trade. This drug, known for its low-cost manufacture and easy concealment, poses a significant threat to those who consume it.
According to DEA investigations, the Sinaloa Cartel, also known as the Pacific Cartel, has expanded its operations to over 100 countries, enlisting thousands of individuals to facilitate its criminal activities. “Currently, more than 26,000 members, associates, facilitators, and brokers affiliated with the Cartel are operating in over 100 countries,” said U.S. authorities, highlighting the group's stronghold on the Pacific coast.
Furthermore, the report identified a particularly violent faction of the Sinaloa Cartel known as Los Chapitos, led by the sons of Joaquín Guzmán Loera. Accused of "flooding" the United States with fentanyl, this group operates with sophisticated laboratories, military-grade vehicles, and armed protectors.
Meanwhile, the CJNG extends its influence across all continents except Antarctica and maintains a significant presence in Mexico, reportedly operating in 28 out of 32 Mexican entities. The DEA's findings show that "more than 18,800 members, associates, facilitators and brokers affiliated with the Cartel" operate in over 100 countries, participating in violent confrontations with Mexican security forces and rival groups.
The combined force of these two cartels amounts to over 44,000 individuals globally, dwarfing the DEA's 9,000 employees and highlighting the uphill battle faced by international law enforcement.
The DEA operates 93 offices outside the U.S., located in 69 countries, while the Sinaloa Cartel and the CJNG have extended their operations to more than 100 nations each. The report concludes, “These violent and ruthless criminal organizations have associates, facilitators and intermediaries in all 50 states of the United States, as well as in more than 100 countries around the world.”
