Mexican security forces arrested 11 suspected members of criminal organizations in Sinaloa state on Monday during several operations in which firearms, narcotics, and explosive devices were seized.
In a statement, the federal security cabinet announced that those detained include Iván ‘N’—alias “El 24″—identified as the regional leader of a criminal organization, though no further details about the group were provided.
Various Mexican media outlets, citing anonymous sources, report that the organization in question is led by Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, known as “El Chapo Isidro.”
Along with Iván, three other individuals were arrested in Culiacán (the state capital) and the municipality of Mocorito; authorities seized two vehicles, four long guns, one handgun, eight magazines, and a tactical vest.
Additionally, four other people were arrested in the town of El Rosario—including a minor and a foreign national—and were found in possession of a Barrett rifle, 11 long guns, 158 magazines, 835 rounds of ammunition, five tactical vests, and four ballistic plates.
In a separate operation, another individual was arrested in the village of Ranchito de los Gaxiola, while three others (including one foreign national) were detained in the coastal city of Mazatlán.
Authorities seized ten long guns, ammunition, ballistic plates, and seven kilograms of opium gum from this latter group.
The operations also resulted in the seizure of 250 kilograms of precursor substances used to manufacture methamphetamine.
According to authorities, these actions deal a blow to organized crime profits estimated at 110 million pesos ($6.40 million) and are part of efforts to “reinforce security” in Sinaloa.
Personnel from the Secretariat of National Defense, the Navy, the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), the Attorney General’s Office (FGR), the National Guard, and local authorities participated in the operations. “The institutions comprising the security cabinet reaffirm their commitment to working in a coordinated manner to apprehend those driving violence and to prevent the distribution of synthetic drugs, thereby contributing to the establishment of peace and security for the benefit of the population of Sinaloa state,” the statement concluded.
Sinaloa, one of Mexico’s most violent states, has seen its public order situation deteriorate further since 2024, when an internal war broke out between factions of the long-standing Sinaloa Cartel.
A few months ago, the U.S. Department of Justice accused state governor Rubén Rocha Moya and nine other officials of collaborating with “Los Chapitos”—a faction of the drug trafficking organization linked to the sons of kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
Since that formal accusation, the federal government has bolstered the presence of security and military personnel in Sinaloa and pledged “special attention” to the state’s residents; however, for the time being, it has declined to act on the U.S. request for the urgent arrest of the implicated officials, citing a need for further evidence to justify the demand.
Source: telemundo51
