The Year Long Sinaloa Cartel Internal War Has Left Over 1,850 Dead

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat
From an Infobae Article

September 9, 2024 marked the beginning of an internal war in the Sinaloa Cartel that, after a year of clashes between the Los Chapitos and Los Mayos factions , left a balance of 1,850 people killed (according to the latest security reports), more than 1,800 forced disappearances and a climate of insecurity that transformed the daily and economic life of Sinaloa.

Despite the deployment of more than 14,000 federal troops and multiple operations, violence persists, and Sinaloa society faces a landscape of uncertainty and fear.

Statistics presented by the federal and state governments reveal a stark reality for the state: September 2024 closed with 142 murders; October with 182; November with 175; December with 156; January 2025 with 138; February with 119; March with 135; April with 119; May with 165; and June with 219 homicides (of which 30 occurred on the 30th alone).

Official figures reveal that during this period, 46 members of security forces (including municipal and state police, investigative agents, and federal agents) lost their lives, 33 of them in Culiacán.

The victims are not limited to those involved in the conflict: women, girls, boys, and especially young men are among the dead. 

Furthermore, according to the Mexican government, there are 1,804 reported cases of forced disappearances, of which 643 people have been located; 136 of them were found dead. There is no public data on the circumstances of those who managed to return to their homes. 

State Security

Given the situation, federal authorities have stepped up their presence in Sinaloa. The deployment includes elite Special Forces units, paratroopers, intelligence personnel, and Ocelot armored vehicles.

The state also obtained direct intervention from the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, which allowed for a temporary reduction in high-impact crimes.

According to the federal government, between October 1 and August 18, security forces arrested 1,615 people for serious crimes, seized more than 3,000 firearms and 64 tons of drugs (including more than one ton and 1.8 million fentanyl pills), and dismantled 105 methamphetamine drug labs; however, the public perception is that these efforts have not managed to sustainably curb the violence.

Furthermore, the daily lives of students in Sinaloa have changed drastically. From preschool to university, students and teachers have adopted safety measures in the classroom to prevent possible shootings by listening for gunshots, lying on the floor, and covering their heads. These types of protective strategies reflect the level of risk the population faces in their daily lives.

Banners have appeared on main roads in Culiacán with messages of peace and encouragement for residents who have faced the wave of violence caused by the internal dispute within the criminal organization.

The placement of these messages, called "pazmantas," was carried out by the Culiacán Valiente collective with the aim of sending a positive message to all Sinaloans living in Culiacán, which has been the main focus of the clashes.

Economic Costs

The economic impact of this crisis is equally severe. The private sector estimates that the violence affected all productive sectors, from agriculture to commerce, hospitality, gastronomy, and entertainment, even affecting private schools.

Economic losses are estimated at 36 billion pesos, while the state-run Coparmex reports the loss of more than 35,000 jobs. Furthermore, business closures have spread throughout the state, and nightlife in Culiacán's iconic locations remains paralyzed. This wave of violence has led the population to prioritize the security of their homes, limiting social and economic activity.

In addition, the agencies reported that 7,810 vehicles of all makes and models were stolen, exacerbating the sense of security and property loss.

Source Infobae

Categories: La Mayiza, Los Chapitos, sinaloa, sinaloa cartel