Who Are "Los Cromos"—The CJNG's Criminal Arm In The Isthmus of Oaxaca—And How Do They Operate?

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat 

In Oaxaca, the Isthmus zone is under siege by "Los Cromos," a criminal arm of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Who are they? How do they operate? Los Cromos—the criminal gang spearheading the Jalisco New Generation Cartel's operations in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec region of Oaxaca—hold not only territorial control over the area but political control as well. 

Emilio Montero Pérez—former Director General of the State Institute of Public Education of Oaxaca and former mayor of Juchitán de Zaragoza—is believed to be the faction's principal leader, although no official investigation into the matter has been made public. Alongside him is Rafael de Jesús Álvarez Palma (alias "Fallo" or "Commander Renco"), who is currently under investigation by authorities. 

The second tier of command includes the former mayor of Juchitán de Zaragoza, Miguel Sánchez Altamirano (alias "Quetu"), who was arrested on September 23. At this same level is Iván Sánchez Santiago (alias "Cromo"), who is currently a fugitive. The latter is identified as a direct cartel "Plaza" boss, as is the former municipal secretary of Juchitán, Mariano Rosado López—"Quetu's" alternate—who is also a fugitive. 

At a third operational level are Carlos Alberto (alias "La Parka"), arrested alongside Sánchez Altamirano, and the former public security commissioner for the Juchitán municipality, John Keny Moreno Segura, who was arrested on September 24. Just days earlier—on September 21, prior to his arrest—Miguel Sánchez Altamirano (alias "Quetu") was seen in public with Emilio Montero. 

According to David Saucedo, a specialist in security and organized crime, Montero—the alleged leader of Los Cromos—entered politics to promote local elections in exchange for protection. What they did was steer government decisions to benefit the interests of their respective criminal groups. They maintained control over municipalities by handing the reins to criminal leaders who were also aligned with their own criminal agenda. 

Essentially, what we have is a system of criminal governance. When crime infiltrates political structures to this extent, it is impossible for a governor not to be aware of it and involved in the scheme, even if they publicly claim to be fighting these groups. Unfortunately, many governors in the southeast—including Governor Salomón Jara—prefer to strike deals with criminal mafias rather than fight them, because these mafias play a role in electoral processes. 

We are not just talking about drug trafficking gangs or human traffickers; these are groups that enjoy a base of social support. "Los Cromos" have been operating in the Isthmus region for four years. They concentrate their illicit activities in Oaxacan municipalities such as Juchitán de Zaragoza, Salina Cruz, Tehuantepec, Ciudad Ixtepec, El Espinal, and Unión Hidalgo. 

They are the primary drivers of violence in the region, linked to crimes such as extortion, the levying of "protection fees" on construction companies working on the Interoceanic Corridor, migrant smuggling, retail drug dealing, and homicide. The State Attorney General's Office reported that approximately 70% of the nearly 1,000 intentional homicides recorded in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec over the last four years are linked to "Los Cromos."

Source: Imagen Noticias

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Five Bodies Dumped in Tlalnepantla, Morelos

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

Five corpses were found next to the Xochimilco-Oaxtepec federal highway, by the Los Nogales area, municipality of Tlalnepantla, on the border with the State of Mexico.

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Navy Marina Uncovers a Network of 400 Gambling Operations Linked to Organized Crime

“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat 

Officials from the Secretariat of the Navy announced the arrest of Miguel Ángel Solano Ruiz, aka "Captain Sol" and "O Mike"—who, according to a statement from the agency, was subject to an arrest warrant for his alleged involvement in organized crime related to fuel theft. 

The capture was the result of investigative work and coordination with the FGR (Attorney General's Office) and the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection in Zapopan, Jalisco. The FGR identifies this man as a member of the "Los Primos" criminal organization. 

According to investigations, authorities detected around 400 gambling transactions, in which Miguel Ángel Solano Ruiz spent over 52 million pesos. Also, in 2025, he purchased jewelry worth more than 400,000 pesos. Furthermore, between 2018 and 2025, he spent more than 6 million pesos on credit cards.

Source: Milenio

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Armando Maldonado Lozoya “Chivo" of La Linea Arrested In Ciudad Juárez

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

Five days after his arrest by the Mexican Navy, authorities announced the capture of Armando Maldonado Lozoya “Chivo" or "El Senor de Los Cuernos", a hitman commander for La Linea, an armed wing of the Cartel de Juárez.

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FPV Drones Seized by Mexican Army in Concordia, Sinaloa

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

The Mexican Army seized several First Person View (FPV) drones along with 12,000 cartridges, long guns, magazines, and tactical equipment during two operations carried out in the rural area of ​​the municipality of Concordia, Sinaloa on September 28.

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The Chapiza Taunts Mayito Flaco On Film

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat 

The Chapos don’t have time to make goofy dance videos. Nor do they want to have sex with their enemies. The way some of the Mayiza members are doing it. They’re crazy. But they’re not that fucking crazy. 

What they can do is capture a Los Mayos operative and behead him alive. Is it their response for the three rapists that were shot to death about a week ago? Perhaps. 

During the removal of the enslaved man’s head they took the time to call out Mayito Flaco. The Chapos taunting their enemies on film isn’t just an open challenge. It’s a reminder that their focus is still on winning the Sinaloa Cartel civil war. 

Villa Unión, Sinaloa

Sources: Cartel Watch, Borderland Beat Archives

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Mayito Flaco: From Heir to Cartel Leader

On September 29, the U.S. Department of the Treasury targeted 21 individuals and 25 entities, including Ismael Zambada Sicairos, a.k.a. “Mayito Flaco,” and his high-ranking lieutenants in Baja California, as well as money launderers, facilitators, corrupt officials, and politicians who help protect the criminal organization's operations from government and law-enforcement intervention.

The conflict between the Sinaloa Cartel's two main factions, Los Mayos and Los Chapitos, erupted following the kidnapping and transportation of Ismael Zambada, “El Mayo,” by Joaquín Guzmán López, “El Güero Moreno,” son of Joaquín Guzmán, “El Chapo.”.

According to the U.S. Treasury, Mayito Flaco has filled the leadership void left by his father's arrest and is now the head of Los Mayos, retaining command and control over the cartel faction. U.S. authorities accuse him of directing criminal activities including drug trafficking, murder, extortion, corruption, and kidnapping.

Mayito Flaco's involvement in the Sinaloa Cartel predates the current conflict. According to a 2014 indictment, Zambada Sicairos was charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances, including smuggling large quantities of cocaine and marijuana into the United States. U.S. authorities also identified Mayito Flaco as a dual Mexican-U.S. national born in Anaheim, California, in 1982.

 

Mayito Flaco relies on a network of trusted lieutenants to maintain his operations and support the war against Los Chapitos. Among his closest associates is Hildegardo Gastelum Garcia, a.k.a. “Aldo,” whom U.S. authorities describe as one of his most trusted advisers and a trafficker whose illicit revenues help finance the war against Los Chapitos. Another key figure is Jorge Luis Mendoza Uriarte, a.k.a. “Güero Chompas,” a former associate of El Mayo who now serves as Los Mayos' head of security.

Beyond his inner circle, the faction relies on high-ranking lieutenants and plaza bosses to control strategic territories and secure access to major drug-trafficking corridors into the United States.

In Tijuana, Aquiles and La Rana, who had previously been designated by U.S. authorities for controlling the plaza, remain key figures in this structure. The latest sanctions expand the focus on their network by identifying operators allegedly responsible for violence and fentanyl trafficking through Tijuana.

U.S. authorities identified three principal lieutenants operating under Aquiles and La Rana: Pedro Humberto Martinez Rodriguez, a.k.a. “Gordo Flubber”; Jesus Rafael Yocupicio Yocupicio, a.k.a. “El Cabezon”; and Franklin Ernesto Huezo Hernandez, a.k.a. “El Ranchero.” According to Treasury, they carry out violence on behalf of La Rana while managing the production and transportation of narcotics, including fentanyl, through Tijuana and into the United States.

The sanctions also identified one of the network's alleged money-laundering mechanisms. According to Treasury, Ilia Elizabeth Felix Rivera used the Tijuana-based Magic Casa de Cambio to work with complicit money exchanges in Southern California, collect bulk cash drug proceeds in the United States, conduct mirror transactions, and transfer the funds back to Mexico.

Mexicali — Corruption as Territorial Control

Another strategic drug-trafficking corridor through Baja California is located in Mexicali, where “El Ruso” is a key Los Mayos operator and plaza boss. According to the U.S. Treasury, his network used political influence, police corruption, and bribery to protect cartel operations and secure the drug corridor into the United States.

As part of this alleged corruption scheme, the sanctions targeted former Mexicali police director Pedro Ariel Mendívil, who allegedly received bribes from El Ruso in exchange for allowing the cartel to exert control over the municipal police, facilitating drug trafficking and cartel enforcement operations.

The sanctions also targeted Carlos Torres, the former husband of Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar, and his brother, Luis Alfonso Torres Torres. According to the U.S. Treasury, Carlos Torres used his political influence to facilitate cartel activities and protect the Sinaloa Cartel from government and law-enforcement intervention in Baja California.

The rise of Mayito Flaco to the leadership of Los Mayos was not simply a result of being El Mayo’s son and heir. After almost two years of war and the latest allegations, he has managed to maintain the support of regional commanders and key allies while keeping the cartel’s operations functioning, including its political and police protection. This has helped Los Mayos maintain an advantage in the war against Los Chapitos.

Sources:  home.treasury.gov - justice.gov

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The True Nature Of The Sinaloa Cartel?

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat 

I shouldn’t have to tell you which faction of the Cartel de Sinaloa (CDS) this is. Those options can be seen in the video and it’s up to you to decide who they actually are. 

Regardless of which group you narrow it down to, what needs to be remembered is where you first saw it. For anyone wondering, this is the great state of Sinaloa. 

Does this chubby man represent the CDS as a whole or is he just another quirky individual within the organization?

Source: Anonymous 

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Narco Tank Workshop Raided in Guasave, Sinaloa

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

The Mexican Army seized five vehicles during a raid on a property used as a workshop creating improvised armored vehicles in Guasave, Sinaloa last Friday.

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Federal Operation Targets Los Metros Illicit Fuel Operations

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

Over the weekend, Mexican federal forces conducted 19 raids across three states in one of the most significant blows to the illicit fuel operations of Los Metros so far this year.

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US Special Forces, DEA & Ecuador's Police Dismantle CJNG Linked Network

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

US troops and the DEA helped Ecuador dismantle a CJNG cell, arresting more than 30 members, Ecuador's interior minister said Thursday. Over 30 Ecuadorans were arrested for allegedly belonging to the group with a direct connection to the CJNG.

Around 320 Ecuadoran police officers and 50 uniformed soldiers from the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) took part in the operation spanning several cities across Ecuador. US military personnel included US Army Green Berets and US Marine Raiders (MARSOC).

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We’ve Got Something Special For You Motherfuckers

“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat 

So what if some of the members from the Mayiza mob like to have gay sex with each other. In the grand scheme of things what they do in privacy is their business. 

None of that matters now. When you stack it up against their latest video all of those homoerotic moves they pulled go out the window. 

After what seems like so long they finally managed to capture several Chapiza operatives. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill shooters either. 

The enslaved men are rapists. Under questioning and with shame in his voice, a captive talks about some thirteen-year-old girls they abducted and violated. 

Source: Anonymous 

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El Kamoni of the Cartel de Tepalcatepec Arrested in Tepalcatepec, Michoacán

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

Today, Mexican authorities arrested Edgar Valeriano 'N', alias “Kamoni”, the alleged regional head of the Tepalcatepec cartel in the municipalities of Tepalcatepec and Buenavista, Michoacán.

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“Don Flaco,” High-Ranking Mayito Flaco Operator, Arrested in Mexico City

On September 22, 2026, José Ángel Rivera Zazueta, a.k.a. “Don Flaco,” was arrested in the Condesa neighborhood of Mexico City's Cuauhtémoc borough. The operation was carried out by the Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), in coordination with the Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana (SSPC), based on information and support from U.S. agencies, particularly the DEA and FBI.

 

Rivera Zazueta had already drawn the attention of U.S. authorities. In 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated him as the leader of a drug-manufacturing and trafficking organization based in Culiacán, Sinaloa, and Mexico City.

Rivera Zazueta's criminal network reportedly operated globally, with nodes across the United States, Mexico, South and Central America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. According to an investigation by journalist Anabel Hernández, the network also moved between 500 and 800 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia each week.

Rivera Zazueta's network illustrates how synthetic-drug production can operate as an international supply chain. Chemical suppliers in China provide precursors used to manufacture synthetic drugs, including fentanyl, MDMA, crystal methamphetamine, 2C-B, and ketamine. Other nodes move these chemicals into Mexico, where specialized laboratories convert them into synthetic drugs. Trafficking networks then move the finished products across the U.S. border, where wholesale distributors and local criminal groups handle domestic distribution and retail sales.

One example of this connection is Shanghai Fast-Fine Chemicals, a Chinese company that U.S. authorities said worked with Rivera Zazueta's network and shipped precursor chemicals to drug-trafficking organizations in Mexico. The company had previously been sanctioned by OFAC.

Sources: proceso - infobae.com - home.treasury.gov

 

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Los Chapitos Logistics Operator Arrested in Mazatlán, Sinaloa

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

Mexican authorities announced Tuesday the arrest in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, of Jesús Antonio “N,” alias “El Peli,” identified as a key logistics and financial operator for Genaro Aarón “N” of the Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.

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