ELF 1t i-' Ofps 4T U 2015 Assessment of Most Significant Drug Trafficking Organizations Operating in Mexico DEA-DCT-DI 036-16 b 7 A MAY 2016 U This document is the property of DEA and may be distributed within the Federal Government and its contractors law enforcement and public safety or protection officials with a need to know Distribution beyond these entities without DEA authorization is strictly prohibited Precautions should be taken to ensure this information is stored and or destroyed in a manner that precludes unauthorized access The use of information in this report is preapproved for U S Intelligence Community products including finished analytic products distributed to U S Executive Branch departments agencies Cited portions must carry the same classification and controls and readers of this report must hold all appropriate clearances Otherwise the information in this report may not be used in legal proceedings for operational or intelligence collection activities shared with foreign persons or agencies entered into non-DEA databases for operational purposes or reproduced in additional formats unless express permission is granted by DEA based on a written request submitted to dea onsi a- g old ic aov Top Secret dea onsi@dea usdoj sgov aoy Secret or dea onsiO-usdol aov Unclassified NCL SSIEIEDYL k PY EM C Ef Page 1 UMCLASSIFIED t# AIIf E IR0f 'r rI_- i' t'-EWT iE1Si I IVE 2015 Assessment of Most Significant Drug 'trafficking Organizations Operating in Mexico U Executive Summary U FOUO Originating as transportation groups for powerful Colombian Drug Trafficking Organizations DTOs in the 1980s Mexican organizations have become the dominant DTOs in Central and North America Drug Enforcement Administration DEA identifies six major cartels currently operating in Mexico the-Sinaloa Cartel New Generation Jalisco Cartel Cartel de Jalisco b 7 c Nueva Generacio or CJ NC _ Organization 1-iO -L os-Z-Los-Gulf-Cartet and J_uar-ez__ b e ° Cartel nr La Linea b 7 b 7 b 7 cUl FQt10 _LOS Zetas Gulf-Cartel and Juarez Cartel operated on 4 lesser level than the Sinaloa Cartel in 2015 but still had a discernable effect on drug rxioverent from Mexico The remaining Mexican cartels appeared to no longer operate at levels nearing the previously mentioned six organizations For instance in 2015 the Los Caballeros Templarios LCT or Knights Templar and their predecessor La Familia Michoacana LFIVI s1oistained eigriificant leadership losses due to law enforcement action and cartel infighting and lost large swaths of territory to larger DTOs As such these nearly defunct groups are not discussed at lerigth in this assessment ' U Details U S l r LALO a 3 c U FOLIO- U DSEN The Sinaloa Cartel and the WING have historical ties to one another-the CJ N-01' once operated under the auspices of the Sinaloa Cartel in Jalisco State This linkage has led to some confusion as to whether or not the two organizations are allied with one another According to EA intelligence these organizations operate parallel DTOs that share many of the same smuggling routes through Mexico into the United States Canada and various other countries b 7 U DSEN - b 7 q U The term alliance is more of an indication that the organizations are sharing drug routes and points of entry without fear of retribution The alliance is informal and it is not a well-defined and mutually agreed upon business relationship Non-competing DTOs that are in an alliance are not necessarily aligned with or protective of the other DTO's interests Jnut 'n U DSEN The Sinaloa Cartel has the most high-profile leadership as seen with the recapture of 1 m 0 Sinaloa CarteLDTO_leader- m January 2016 The Sinaloa Cartel b i -mcurrent -- --ly -p o _o era t es as_four ma 'or_DTOs- DTO DT-Of 2 I S6031TIVE b 7 C Rage 2 UPO AU7C0 Uo YOWJLtPAPJf BSI T IVE 2015 Assessment of Most S 9 Vificant Drug Trafficking Organizat z -X 11 a0641ng in Mexico' 1 I rAaA cJtrarne rcfi'L CHf 14AHVh A 7 i _ G'G 2 STr31na csdel p eres 6 iiC t s gnlFrnl Source DEA HCACA4 M U This map rcprasents areas of dariloont Mexican cartel presence It is subjectty change given the fluid nature of Mexit2n DTOs l n t'w war tACal o C tr -0A%ACA - _- cl Drug EriforcernrtitAtimirsistratloh DEA Currant as of ApM 2095 I L' px n t' a FarC1Y hfl C_A E 'me t yC nca' od CM APAI 61 Sn ad rox7uC D_TO and DTO Each DTO shares resources territory and points of entry into the United States Prior to the January 2018 recapture oft land-the_GovernmentO Mexico's__ b 7 0 perceived willingness to extradite him to the United States DEA deemed it very unlikely that these four groups would split from one another in the near future Generally major splits similar to the one b 7 A betweer -the Sinaloa-Eartel-and DO are prompted by the murder of family members or as was the case of CJNG happen after the death of the leader of a DTO that is already semi-independent 2 UHDSEN In 2015 the Sinaloa Cartel continued to operate as normal despite the initial February b c7n0 2Q9 _ar-rant ot - Viand his 2015 escape from custody In fact DEA reporting indicates the b ' O DTOs actually grew more powerful afte 2fl14-_ _ _ b ° b 2015 incarcer-ation -becausel- ontinued to run his business from prison TheF-- cbx7 0 DTwhich was led_ bylong time-leader- pushed b 7 c back into the leadership position and spotlight 3 The b -- also continued normal operations The children and nephews of these leaders assumed leadership roles within their respective DTOs 4 IJ iCt A EWF United riatas M - N Co W Yvra rt J ZACATECAS ytq 'u_ nt 'era NA' ARIT - AGIIgG SAN LV'a POIO jl_ GA' Nfrl 3 u tF i5 mEi lT SEWSITIVE D-TO -1ed-byl_ 7 YQCAYAN '_9NTAN PLC IAPCCH Guatemala Page 3 U FQ110 Figure 1 Areas 4pf SinOI1S U1114 2015 Assessment of Most Significant Drug Trafficking Organizations Operating in Mexico b 7 A U_ -DSE N_ b 7 A I UNDSEN The Cartel de Jalisco Nuevo Generaci6n directs its operations from within Jalisco State The CJNG which was once a Guadalajara branch of the Sinaloa Cartel is quickly gaining ground on the Sinaloa Cartel in methamphetamine production and money laundering in Mexico and U Figure 2 Part of Manzanillo UUFOUO The CJNG has operative cells throughout Mexico b 7 Ul1D EN b 7 4 UkI LA S I FIEW b 7 C b 7 A b 7 A b 7 A Page 4 b 7 C -- - 61 7 A lb 7 QJ 4G has 4ecome a leading player in methamphetamine production in Mexico and a likely source dif•therincreasing amount of methamphetamine transiting the U S -Mexico border b 7 ZQSE b 7 _ 2015 Assessment of Mast Significant Drug Trafficking Organizations' Operating in Me x ico U Figure 3 Areas of Cartel Jalisco Nu ev rc1 m _ -Castel lt'isf 1 -h uemiono aeCn - SNh rya inc alu s rnf anl - -car ln_reas F nacnn O ORA l AlnA yCa AGJA4 LAf l' I TCS COAHULA V 1 1 'h'AY-1T JALISCO 'ACAILCAs IyL Jh Y l ai lr A i 6 J e United Sia v g ua ulew - i 1pjtl kAt ru 4 F i tQ' 1 -i GUATJA UArO' OAXACA Drug r nforoerneit Administration DEA Curreltt as of April 2015 IU 3 - 9'J an b411 LIE' l a U This map represents areas of dominernt Mexi_on c rtul presenca It is subject to change given the fluid nature of Mexlcan DTG _ CHIAPAS cf Af 7xirn fiI AN H 6 duT i El Saltiador -' Source DEA t tint LA-S W EPW Ai I I1 i 11 U FOUO In 2015 Mexico experienced an uptick in CJNG-perpetuated violence as the cartel's DTOs increased violent attacks in April and May including multiple ambushes against the Jalisco State Police One of the CJNG ambushes resulted in the May 1 downing of a Mexican military helicopter U DSEN Animosity between the leaders of the Sinaloa and Juarez Cartels led to a violent turf war for control of Chihuahua from 2008-2012 In light of this history CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel could 5 sr 1 all all - 11F F# i i fil iw Page 5 2015 Assessment Of-Most Significant Drug Trafficking Organizations Operat ing in Mexico join forces against the Juarez Cartel however current infighting amongst Sinaloa-aligned groups makes that possibility unlikely in the near term lntra-cartel violence is a DTO's method of self-policing and is typically the result of individuals or groups engaged in unauthorized smuggling stealing from the DTO changing of allegiance cooperating with law enforcement or unauthorized actions b 7 A resulting in unwanted _atafion_ oia-the-DTO - -- b f U FOUO It is possible that the CJNG will increase its presence in the northeastern states that have been traditionally held by Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel UHDSEN DEA reporting confirms that the CJNG has engaged in'sklrmi hes with the Sinaloa Cartel gatekeepers in Tijuana The CJNG has always maintained a presenceJn the Tijuana Baja California corridor so it remains to be seen whether or not these skirmishes ill lead to an overall increase in violence in Tijuana- g Los Cumi b 7 A U FOLIO ----- i b 7 c W DSE-N -The ' b 7 C b 7 A_ Organization b 72 c U f'OUO Them_are-atle-ast two O splinter groups that engage in drug trafficking and other criminal activity such as kidnapping extortion and collection of °piso from other DTOs in the region--the Guerreros Unidos and Los Rojos The Guerreros Unidos has a strong presence in the 6 UP40L SSIF1 ltLAM EN'F O CE44EW'SE N ITI E b 7 C • I b- 7 A b 7 C - b 7 A b 7 C b 7 A Page 6 IFIE 2015 ssessm en U FOLIO Figure 4 Areas Qf IMoen 4 i b 7 C b 7 --- A b 7 C b 7 ---- ____ A urrlttid 81 trs cH• uANUA Ye hevne GVAHUI' A Si g j ant Drug X1 1 h Mexico A 'dAVLIF i C1 'ChS gG 1F °A17 LVI'o FO7usi C 1 fiUa Nf JVAt0 LOO b 7 C a 07O A I ph s i% n d rJACan1 _ fir nicr • s nn once_ Source DEA W This map raprosents areas of domin pO Mexican cartel presence It is subject to change_ given the rtuid natura of Me icnn dYba CPAPAC Drug Enforc©mentAdministration DEA Current an of April 2015 r J'LJ_ I dL 1 0 1 r ac ' erraurac j State of Guerrero and Los RoioS r ias reportedly operated in Guerrero and Southern Morelos Los Rojos is likely to vanish within #te next year because its leaders have all been arrested causing the I remaining Los Rojos members to align with other DTOs j b 7 C b 7 i 04r' U FOUO -The O also operates in a partnership with the i b 7 DTO to control a large portion of the Golden Trion le area which consists of the Mexican z b 7 7 ° stateS of SinaloaD urango -and-Ohihuahua - runs his heroin supply operations to the c 4b in the State of Sinaloa where his success lies in large part due to his ability to corrupt regional 7 A government officials The DTO utilizes a complex transportation network capable of moving drugs into the United States through the Nogales Dort of Entry e b 7 C 7 WORCEi j -r SENSITIVE ti lFORC Wi EST 3 E N S 'roff4 Ff o Yj -A 'A 4 JAIA1 f 1 r r JUx cal carer„ tl ne i C11-1111 FULt3LA ENACIIV' v 't TAI Ano b 7 C Page 7 Trafficking Clrr UMCL kSSIEIEDHU k V EWO E€ i 1T SEA I-SITIVE 2015 Assessm Trafficking Orgarq U FOLIO Figure 5 Areas of Losa ZeN 4ALiBCC I --UnlPz i S'ate t_cacc6nw SUR 5UNOkA V to VA% CII ISUAH L'A y4s U51it 'JLWAS C-J L 41 AGUAS CALIF T ' - G JAFI i utrlr' CAN crJ 6I M11S ant Drug j Me klco U Thi3 nia'prepresents areas of dominant Noxioon cartol presence It is subject to chun0n given the fluid nature of P iaxican DTOs_- I C LG ClUi RRCRO 1 Loa Znlaa cartol h ras ini e5i r Ft„nl' Source DEA OVAC Drug Enforcement Administrat on DEA Currant as of Apr112015 - i0 T- p Ad U• a Co eJh tl 0°A 4'ro iavr r YUCMA4 El sal « UHDSEN Los Zetas aka Cartel del Noreste 9 once operated as the second most powerful DTO in Mexico and in parts of Central America Los Zetas has lost influence in both areas and appears to operate primarily as gatekeepers to the Northeastern Mexico smuggling corridors and entry points into the United States Los Zetas possibly remain solvent because of the local retail drug market in Northeastern Mexico Unlike the Gulf Cartel Los Zetas maintains familial ties within the b nx family which provides continuity and resilience and could aid in their resurgence U IDSEN Los Zetas operate in Nuevo Laredo and Nuevo Leon States as well as pockets throughout the Gulf Coast of Mexico They battle the Gulf Cartel for control over Zacatecas In terms of leadership 2015 Los Zetas was as weak as it has been in its short history As of March 2015 the leadership consisted of very young and inexperienced members a far cry from the highly trained military operatives who formed and led the original Los Zetas IDTO 8 i t c-it-liEi T° 33 EE IT'IVE Vat' 1 _ _ _ y VL L Page 8 DSEN HL GuL Source DEA LIOCLA I IED1 r'f _i hi E Ornc-IEE NT SE OSI IVE 2015 Assessment of Most Significant Drug Trafficking Organizations Operating in Mexico U DSEN In late 2015 members of Los Zetas made a conscious effort to rebrand the DTO as the Cartel del Noreste Cartel of the Northeast even going so far as to use the new name on banners and in their online branding UHDSEN The Gulf Cartel is also in a weakened position compared to 2005 when Los Zetas were still a part of its enforcement arm At that time the Gulf and Sinaloa Cartels dominated Mexican drug trafficking effectively dividing the country into east and west coast coalitions In 2015 the Gulf Cartel U FOUO Figure 6 Areas of Quit cartel lnfiu q 6AJA IFOR Ulf ca--2 I' nrirl ea ngprtamnc3 bras end s rni'i n JKanA S FlAt ' Jam 'AHJ lk td1CH0ACA1 lltdtcd ntattta C a f W1 TREi GU4NdJ11 T 1 NO RAGA cn aA' U This map repre ents area o4 c1cminant - fv%Acan carthl prosenco It is subj t to change giveon the Mild nature of Hev Icon DTL _ IE Cn Drug tinforaement Adinin stration DeA - Current as of April 2015 BUY 's duc s ar csz y rc E tr I gorvEarl on - -li f j 1ca v Guat nata C Ni nb M CCHL' i Satv0d was a fractured and financially weak organization that suffered from a leadership void due to the loss of key leaders over the past year The Gulf Cartel maintains regional commands in Reynosa Matamoros Zacatecas and Tampico Tamaulipas State However fracturing within the Gulf Cartel has created splinter cells such as Los Metros and Los Ciclones which are leading much of the 9 Ui 1CL t IELIti E 1 ' l f ENT S 1TlVtE Page 9 UNICLASSI IEL I c„ n lrani JAI Ih CJ infighting within the organization The Gulf Cartel continues to battle Los Zetas for territory and points of entry into the United States U DSEN It is unclear if either the Sinaloa Cartel or the CJNG will allow the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas to-retain their corridors in eastern Mexico or if efforts will be made to take control of these territories by the larger DTOs in the coming year The future of these territories depends on whether the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas can maintain enough funding through drug trafficking to continue the holdover their historical plazas or if an uptick in violence would cause law enforcement and military organizations to dedicate more assets to the region URF UO j1 A E-Z UNDSEN The Juarez Cartel aka La Linea run by s the _ b o dominant organization in Chihuahua State The Juarez Cartel has fou t the Sinaloa Cartel for control over the lucrative Ciudad Juarez plaza since 2008 and has solidified ''Orllro of its stronghold in the U FOLIO Figure 7 Areas of Juarez Cartel jn q#paid control CALIC nHIA1 ' j 1 j 2015 Assessment of Most Significant Drug him Traffic t ' v fating in Mexico SOF'GRA -a Al cl ' hwi lw i HLLuA COA11MA „'x' AMAULIPAC GCU19 SAN M Z CAUGNI LS ' - - GLIANAJ11AjU COUSl1 ilT SENSITIVE U This map represents areaset tlomiriant Mexican cartel presgnca It is suhjedtto efrohgo given the fluid nature of Mt ican DTQs - ' 'iJ r Af'i CAM%Y C AWCNOAG N' DALGO GUF_Rnina db Juarez Corral t ric ed intliegle al n i ant i urtnc essirtgpresanct Source DEA Drug Enforcement Administration OEA Current is of April 2015 U 7r - na s t ru7N t- by b UCAS IntyJ ar a Saa 10 i Ei J4 61T SEOSITRIE E SAI'a Page 10 EP41F CHlIl1AM11 -- itapn7 Lm h b t73 regq -- i°-n-o ver the past 2 years UHDSEN The Juarez Cartel includes the Mennonite DTO an increasingly powerful transportation group in Chihuahua i0 Over the past decade individuals in Mennonite communities in Mexico and Canada have been exploiting kinship networks to engage in drug weapons trafficking and bulk currency movement The Mennonites have gained recognition in drug trafficking largely due to their increasing alliance with and leadership in the Juarez Cartel 3SMb'NTLED Off t ISR P-M- b 7 C U D-_EN -Qver-the-past der- ade the rganization R -has-experienced'-one_ of_--- the most spectacular downfalls of any major Mexican cartel The once-powerful DTO went from one of the most significant trafficking organizations in Mexico in the 14te-9990s and early 200Qs to an organization almost completely decimated by law enforcement actioriand-rival cartel incursions b m C Dmrir g the_haight Df-its-power the was seen as one of the B ost v 6iiA trafficking organizations U FOUO Figure 8 Areas of Los Caballeros TgMplarios Influence and Control United Staten 6cttaHOp'- U This mnp mprescnts areas of dominwit Nloxican cerldl prbsence It is subjr t to chunge given the fluid nature of hlexicnn DT05 1- to vr m ZACATOA9 TAt 1AUL1•1311 - SAN LU S TtI_ j n n v 1UCATa4 JAL L4 C0 CCH f A sostiWlA NTANA ld iC11n 1C3tf n fflic gnt Drug V n Mexico UENI' -_ aUMNtno Las Ca al'oros Tcrr rq5 C6r101 aFl os Ic1 a 0 s n Gc ti _- rnn ca g e ec5 Source DEA m OAlA •t e ci• i fiiV ' 1'S _ 1161 CO Drug EnforcempotAdministratiom DL- A Current a of April 20i5 iUl7 C3wI C_ eCare9 t t re CEA SLS a l e „erca e LOn Uf l Sli IE t Ea1FOFZCEi' 61T SENSITIVE V- t1oflC'IU b 7 C Page 1 1 IFIEL fIi cnAnuliA U FODU SlFigure 9 Areas of La Familia Michoacan Cartel Influence and Control i 8AJA R WOR t-URAN J ZACA7'E CAS eA isc _U Thie mep represents areas of dorninint Mexican cartel presrvlce lt io cubjoot to chBng6 given the fluid nature of Mexic9n DTOg SENSITIVE TAIAILImt pCi AY--3ANl UI ' P Tt • I-i'Y CAL tiE3 CUAUAJUATO - e CHUA d4 V1• Tern Iprlce CartEl - cr i- crcrc prr n Drug Enforcomont Adminisiration DrtA Current as of April 2015 -'IU 1t s rx ' s r dP s p t 0 E a91's I I d • YUCATAN' W 47 iCrnCllfPi$ C Salvad Source DEA operating in Mexico and Tong the southwest border of the United States a reputation that galvanized law enforcement attention ln 2015 the AFO had lost almost all of their drug sources of supply territory and smuggling routes W the Sinaloa Cartel Also nearly every senior-level member of the organization has been killed or mprisoned 12 b G UJJD SEN -Like thCO the Michoacan Family La Familial Michoacan LFM and Knights Templar Los Caballeros Templarios - LCT organizations are considered largely defunct or are no longer operating at levels nearing those of the previously mentioned six major organizations Over the last 24 months the LFM and LCT have sustained significant leadership losses due to law enforcement action and cartel infighting and have lost large swaths of territory to larger DTOs Although there are b 7 O still traffickers vuho cansider_themselves to be 0 or LFM members they are slowly being subsumed into the larger cartels where they stand to make more profits As of October 2015 the majority of the remaining LCT members have aligned themselves with the CJNG 12 ED if N4 EVIFORCEROEWT SENSITIVE 2015 Assessment of- Most Stignificant Drug Trafficking Organizations Operating in Mexico t - CHIHUAHUA Page 1-2 UNCLASSIFI Ditt R ENFOR Eit IE fi't MAMI i IV U Outlook 3 U DEA-DCT DIB-019-15 September 2015 The Re-Eme Bence -or j as-a-Leader Wthin ibe_ inatoai b 7 e Cartel Overall document classification in U LES Soldree Descriptor in s e n e igence U DEA-DCT DIB-004-14 July 2014 Leadership Succession of the Narco Juniors in the Sinaloa_ Cartel Overall document classification in U LES Source Descriptor Finished Intelligence UHDSEN It is likely that the Sinaloa Cartel and the CJNG will remain the most powerful DTOs in Mexico for the foreseeable future The Sinaloa Cartel has been stable over the past few decades and unless there are major losses in leadership or infighting that fractures the alliance the DTO is unlikely to lose much territory-to rival groups The CJNG will likely expand in the next year given the scale of their trafficking activities and the inroads the organization has made into smuggling corridors along the southwest U S border U it is unlikely that an of the smaller groups identified in this report will gain significant territory in b 7 c1he coming year -T-he O is losing some territory to the Sinaloa Cartel and may find it more lucrative - foremain in their strong olds rather than expand It is difficult to predict what will happen with the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas as the respective leaders attempt to consolidate their groups after major leadership and territory losses It is possible that the CJNG or Sinaloa Cartel will attempt to take over some of the plazas currently controlled by the struggling Gulf and Zetas organizations which would lead to-more Sinaloa or CJNG-controlled drugs arriving on the east coast of the United States through the eastern Texas corridors u bEA DCT DiR-064-15 July 2015 Mexico Updated Assessment of the Major dnig Trafficking Organizations'Areas of Dominant Control Overall document classification in U Source Descriptor Fir ished Intelligence b 7 c Z U FOUODEA DDQ-'°D1R--06 - 5 -September-204S The 7 afficking Group One of the Four Major Organizations in the Sinaloa Cartel Overall document classification in UI LES Source Descriptor Finished intelligence b 7 A - -- U - I U b 7 A -- 7 U lbid b 7- A --T - -Drug Organization b c U This product was prepared by the DEA Strategic Intelligence Section Comments and qquestions may be addressed to the Chief Analysis and Production Section at dea onsil asdoi gov 13 2015 Assess mt of pst Significant Drug Trafficking tCtg rti tian Dperating in Mexico _ U-1 E 1 b A 9 U DEA-DCT DiR-047 _ 6 June 2015 Overview of Heroin Manufacturing in Mexico Overall document classification in U LES Source Descriptor Finished Intelligence 9 U document classification in U LES Source Descriptor Finished Intelligence 12 U FOLIO DEA-DCT DIR-0 11-15 December 2014 Downfall ofa Cartel A History of the Overall document classification in U LES Source Descriptor Finished Intelligence 10 U DEA-DCT DIR-047-15' June 2015 Overview of Heroin Manufacturing in Mexico Overall document classification in U LES Source Rescriptor Finished Intelligence WILES DER-DCTDIR-055-15 July 2015 The Mexican Mennonite Community and Drug Movement to Canada Overall U'VIC ASSI I DItI 4 il F NF0W1--' -'F-hf WT SENSITIVE Page 13