A Glossary of Cartel Terms

 El Armadillo for Borderland Beat

This glossary is a starting point, a collection of terms, slang, and references commonly encountered in the coverage of Mexican organized crime. It is intended as a resource for anyone with an interest in this world, whether that means readers of Borderland Beat, researchers, journalists, or simply curious observers who may come across unfamiliar language in articles, cartel communications, narco-mantas, corridos, or social media posts tied to the criminal underworld.

Some are widely known, others are specific to certain organizations. It is also worth keeping in mind that a great deal of cartel slang is deeply regional in nature, meaning there are likely many terms common in certain states or cities that do not appear here at all, and that the same word can carry a slightly or completely different meaning depending on where you are. 

This list is far from comprehensive. It does not attempt to catalog every cartel or criminal organization, as that is a separate project entirely, nor does it cover every significant location. Some groups are named here because their references appear frequently enough in open sources that leaving them out would create gaps for the reader. The list also does not include basic Spanish vocabulary where the meaning is obvious. A tonelada is a ton, an arsenal is an arsenal of weapons, and so on. The focus is on terms as they appear in cartel contexts, though not every word or phrase here is exclusive to the criminal world. 

This is a living document that will be re-published as new terms emerge or as existing definitions benefit from additional detail. Readers are encouraged to leave comments with suggestions, corrections, or regional variations they think should be included. Your input is what makes a resource like this more useful over time.

Glossary

Alucin - Someone who falsely claims to be cartel-affiliated, typically adopting the dress, mannerisms, and speech of someone connected to organized crime without actually being so.

Ajuste de cuentas - Settling of scores.

Amparo - A legal injunction used in the Mexican criminal justice system, frequently invoked by defense attorneys to challenge or delay criminal proceedings, arrests, or detention orders.

Ametralladora or metralleta – A machine gun.

Antro – A nightclub, bar, or disco often with a seedy or disreputable character such as a low-end establishment frequented by criminals.

Apodo - Nickname or alias. Nearly all cartel members operate under an apodo rather than their real name, both for security and as a matter of culture within criminal organizations.

Armero - An arms trafficker or dealer.

Artillado -  To be heavily armed or, a vehicle equipped with a mounted weapon.

Bandera - Literally "flag." Refers to the cartel affiliation a member represents and the territory they control in its name. Defending one's bandera means holding territory; allowing it to fall means ceding ground to a rival.

Belico -  Bellicose, warlike, aggressive. Used to describe an individual or attitude that takes pride in violence and shows no fear in combat.

Billetes – Literally "bills." Money, cash.

Blindadas - Armored vehicles used by cartels, either manufactured or state forces.

Boludo - Helicopters, especially those operated by state forces.

Cachas - Handgun grips, often ornately detailed in silver or gold and stylized with nicknames, cartel symbols, saints, or other personalized imagery.

Cafetera - Literally "coffee maker." A term used to describe Cartel Arellano Felix (CAF), often associated with a mischievous coffee pot symbol. Numerous cells in Tijuana claim CAF affiliation even without direct ties to the Arellano Felix family.

Calentar la Plaza - Literally "to heat up the plaza." To draw unwanted attention to a cartel's territory through excessive or indiscriminate violence, public displays of brutality, or reckless behavior that provokes law enforcement or military intervention In contested areas, a rival group may deliberately heat the plaza as a false flag tactic, committing acts of violence designed to provoke a government crackdown on the controlling cartel rather than on themselves.

Camisa / Camiseta - Literally "shirt" or "jersey." Refers to one's cartel affiliation, framed as a team one wears proudly. Saying someone "wears their camiseta" means they are loyal and committed to their organization.

Cantar – Literally "to sing." To snitch or give information to authorities.

Caravana / Comboy - A convoy of cartel gunmen vehicles traveling together for patrol, transport, or to locate and engage rivals.

Carne de Canon - Literally "cannon fodder." A derogatory term for low-level rival gunmen considered expendable by their own leadership, soldiers sent into dangerous situations with little chance of survival.

Cartucho - A round of ammunition.

Chaleco / Chaleco Antibalas – A vest; in cartel context typically a ballistic or bulletproof vest. Chaleco antibalas is the explicit term for bulletproof vest.

Chicoteado - To move at high speed; to "haul ass." Can be used literally, such as driving fast, or more broadly to mean moving or advancing quickly.

Cincuentas - .50 caliber weapons.

Clave – A code or nickname.

Clavo – A hidden stash of drugs, money, weapons, or other contraband.

Clonada – Cloned; refers to uniforms, vehicles, or markings copied from law enforcement or military units to disguise cartel members as police or soldiers.

Cobro / Derecho de Piso - Extortion fees or "plaza taxes" that cartels charge businesses, vendors, and individuals operating within territory they control.

Collares / Mano de Orula / Elegua / Santo - Terms and ritual objects associated with Santeria, an Afro-Cuban religious tradition increasingly practiced by criminals and civilians alike across Mexico and the U.S. Southwest. Collares are the beaded necklaces worn by initiates; Elegua is a prominent orisha (deity); Mano de Orula is a protective bracelet received during initiation. Santo is Saint.

Cortas / Largas - Literally "short and long." Refers to small arms (handguns) and long arms (rifles).

Costales - Literally "sacks." Packages of drugs prepared for transport or delivery.

Cuatro Letras - Literally "four letters." A reference to CJNG (Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion), notable for its four-letter acronym, a departure from the three-letter initials that have historically characterized most major Mexican cartels (e.g., CDG, CDS, CAF).

Cuerno de Chivo - Literally "goat horn," referring to the curved magazine of the AK-47. Used broadly to refer to AK-pattern rifles and sometimes rifles in general.

Cuete - A handgun.

El Salado - A rancheria in Sinaloa associated with the faction of Ismael "Mayo" Zambada.

Empotrada - Literally "embedded" or "mounted." A vehicle with a weapon fixed or mounted onto it, often referring to trucks with heavy weapons such as machine guns or .50 caliber

Escoltado / Escolta – A bodyguard or security escort; can refer to individuals on foot or traveling in vehicles.

Escuadra – Slang for a pistol.

Escuadra Fajada - To carry a handgun tucked into the waistband.

Feria - Literally "fair." Money, especially cash.

Flaca / Flakita - Affectionate nicknames, "skinny girl" for Santa Muerte (Holy Death), a folk saint widely venerated by criminals and the marginalized in Mexico and the United States.

Flete - Literally "freight." A delivery or shipment of drugs.

Fuerzas Especiales Unión / FEU – A alliance between CJNG and Los Chapitos formed against La Mayiza in the Sinaloa Cartel civil war. Their logo, notably AI-generated, depicts a chicken and a pizza — the chicken referencing former CJNG leader Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Señor de los Gallos, and the pizza referencing La Chapiza.

Gabacho / Los Gabachos - Slang for Americans or the United States and its government. Can carry a derogatory tone depending on context, though it is also used neutrally.

Guacho / Wacho - Slang for a member of the Mexican armed forces. Often used with a dismissive or hostile connotation.

Guasave - A city in northern Sinaloa serving as the base of operations for the Beltran Leyva Organization, also referred to as Cartel del Guasave.

La Capi / Capital - "The capital." Most commonly refers to Culiacan, capital of Sinaloa and historic base of the Sinaloa Cartel. Other states may use the term for their own capital. Mexico City may also be referenced this way in some contexts.

Los Chapitos / Los Menores / La Chapiza / La CH - The Sinaloa Cartel faction loyal to the sons of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, primarily Ivan Archivaldo Guzman and Jesus Alfredo Guzman. Rather than a single monolithic group it is a network of factions, cells, and allied families operating under the Guzman brothers' umbrella.

La Empresa - Literally "the business" or "the company." A neutral term used by various cartels to refer to their own organization.

La Frontera Chica - Literally "the small border." A subregion of Tamaulipas along the Rio Grande comprising smaller border towns such as Ciudad Mier, Ciudad Guerrero, and Miguel Aleman, historically contested by cartels.

La Mafia - An older, broadly used term for the criminal underworld of Mexico and organized crime generally.

La Mayiza / Los Mayos / Empresa MF - The Sinaloa Cartel faction loyal to the Zambada family, named for Ismael "Mayo" Zambada. A network of cells, allied families, and regional factions operating under the Zambada umbrella. Following Mayo Zambada's capture in 2024, leadership has fallen primarily to his son Ismael "Mayito Flaco" Zambada Imperial.

La Palma - A rural area in Sinaloa, land of origin of the Beltran Leyva family.

La Tuna - A rancheria in Sinaloa, land of origin of the Guzman-Loera family.

Lanzapapa - Literally "potato launcher." Refers to grenade launchers.

Levanton - A forced abduction.

Limpieza - Literally "cleaning." The killing or expulsion of a rival group from a given territory.

La Maña - A local term in Tamaulipas for cartels and organized crime. Used more broadly across Mexico to refer to organized crime generally.

Monstruo - Literally "monster." A heavily modified vehicle, typically a truck or large SUV, reinforced with improvised armor plating and often equipped with mounted weapons. Monstruos are larger and more extreme than standard blindadas.

Mordida - Literally "the bite." Bribes paid to police, government officials, or military personnel.

NAME-iza suffix (Chapiza, Mayiza, Menchiza) - A naming convention appending "-iza" to a leader's name to denote their faction or loyalists. Chapiza refers to those loyal to Los Chapitos; Mayiza to those loyal to Mayito Flaco; Menchiza (less common) to those loyal to El Mencho of CJNG.

Narcomanta / Narcomensaje – Public communications from a cartel. A narcomanta is typically a physical banner hung in a visible location, while a narcomensaje is a written message, often left at a crime scene or accompanying a body. Both are used to send warnings, make threats, or claim responsibility for acts of violence.

Narcofosas - Clandestine graves used by cartels to dispose of victims' bodies, often found in rural areas or remote terrain.

Narcos – Can refer to individuals involved in the drug trade or to anti-narcotics law enforcement.

Nectar Lima - Code name for Nuevo Laredo, part of a broader system of Tamaulipas-specific code words and slang terms for locations.

Pasamontaña - A balaclava or ski mask.

Parque - Literally "park." Ammunition.

Pechera / Empecherado – A ballistic or bulletproof vest; can also refer to a tactical chest rig or plate carrier, often worn with cartel-branded patches. Empecherado describes someone geared up in one.

Perico – Literally "Parrot." Slang for cocaine.

Pistolero – A gunman or armed enforcer.

Pitazo - A tip-off or warning passed to cartel members about incoming law enforcement operations, military movements, or rival activity.

Plebes / Plebada - Young, lower-ranking cartel members or foot soldiers. Can simply mean "the guys" or "the crew," Sinaloan origin.

Punteros - Lookouts or scouts stationed at strategic points to monitor and report on the movements of law enforcement, military, or rival groups.

Rafagazo - A burst of gunfire.

Rifle Terciado - To have a rifle slung across the body, conveying a state of readiness and willingness to engage at any moment.

San Judas Tadeo / Juditas - Saint Jude Thaddeus, patron saint of lost causes, widely venerated by criminals in Mexico. Statues displayed in cartel contexts often show his staff held in the left hand rather than the right, a deliberate inversion signaling criminal association.

Scar / Escar / Eskar - The FN SCAR, a Belgian-made rifle increasingly documented in cartel arsenals.

Sicario – A hitman or gunman.

Soplon / Dedo - An informant or snitch. Soplon means "one who blows" (the whistle); dedo means "finger" (one who points). Being identified as either is often a death sentence within cartel culture.

Tablon / Tabla / Tabliza - A wooden plank used as an instrument of corporal punishment, both to discipline low-ranking members within a cartel's own ranks and to punish civilians who violate the organization's rules in areas under its control.

Terrenos - Literally "lands." Territory controlled by a cartel.

Topón - A direct confrontation or gunfight between rival cartels or between a cartel and state security forces, implying a significant engagement rather than a minor skirmish.

Tostón - A .50 caliber round or, more broadly, a reference to heavy-caliber weaponry.

Tres Eslabones - Literally "three links." like the links of a chain. The alliance of El Musico, El Sagitario, and El Chapo Isidro, who lead the remnants of the Beltran Leyva Cartel.

Tregua - A truce or non-aggression pact between organizations or factions.

Trocas - Literally "trucks." In cartel context, can refer not just to the vehicle but to a truck carrying armed gunmen.

Tropa del Infierno – Literally "Troop from Hell." The armed wing of the Cártel del Noreste (CDN), itself a splinter of Los Zetas. Based primarily in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas.

Tusi – A synthetic drug cocktail, typically pink-dyed powder, containing a mix of substances most commonly ketamine and MDMA, despite the name it rarely contains actual cocaine. Originated in Colombia and increasingly trafficked by Mexican cartels.

Ultima Letra - Literally "the last letter." A reference to Z, the final letter of the alphabet, reference to Los Zetas.

Un Cuatro - A trap or set-up.

Un Super – A Colt chambered in .38 Super caliber, highly popular in Mexico.

Vieja Escuela - Literally "old school." Can refer specifically to Los Zetas Vieja Escuela, a splinter faction of the original Zetas cartel, or more broadly to an older, supposedly more honorable way of conducting cartel business, often invoked to contrast with the perceived brutality and disorder of newer generations of criminals.