Sinaloa cartel is in full control of the Mazatlán port according to a DEA report

SEATTLE - Powerful cartels continue to be fully in control of major western ports in Mexico, as they are a critical part of the infrastructure of groups such as the Sinaloa cartel, which uses them to receive precursor chemicals and South American cocaine for trafficking into the United States, according to a report by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

In its May report, the DEA said that the port of Mazatlán was wholly controlled by the Sinaloa cartel and that they charged other drug trafficking organizations to use the port.

The port of Mazatlán is one of the biggest and busiest in Mexico, and has trade links with Asia, Europe and the Americas. It handles more than 300,000 tons of goods, and as 90% of the world trade is carried out through the oceans, cities like Mazatlán and Manzanillo have become key spots for drug cartels to carry on with their illegal trade.

"At the heart of the synthetic drug crisis are the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels and their associates, who DEA is tracking world-wide," said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. "The suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and money launderers all play a role in the web of deliberate and calculated treachery orchestrated by these cartels. DEA will continue to use all available resources to target these networks and save American lives," Milgram added.

A sharp increase in drug seizures has been reported in Mexico's west coast ports with caches being discovered inside containers and vessels' sea chests, according to protection and indemnity club NorthStandard.

Earlier this month, 88 tons of chemicals needed for the manufacture of synthetic drugs such as fentanyl were seized at the port of Manzanillo. According to the DEA, the port of Manzanillo is "strategically significant because of its location on the central Pacific Coast and its high volume of shipping traffic due to widespread use of the port by foreign countries to exchange legitimate trade goods with Mexico and to refuel", but the Norwegian insurer Gard reported they are being used for something else, as drug seizures in Mexico saw an increase over the last 12 months.

In 2023, the Mexican navy had a record year of seizures, intercepting more than 48 tons of cocaine that was travelling through the ocean. But this is not an isolated case for Mexico, as seizures of fentanyl, in both powder and pill form, are at record levels. Over the past two years, seizures of fentanyl powder nearly doubled. In 2023, the DEA seized more than 14 tons of fentanyl (29,048 pounds).

The synthetic drug is the United States' greatest and most urgent threat. Two milligrams (mg) of fentanyl is considered a potential fatal dose and pills tested in DEA laboratories average 2.4 mg of fentanyl. In 2022, drug-related deaths claimed the lives of 107,941 Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are responsible for 70% of the total deaths.

In the first five months of Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, the United States Department of Homeland Security made over 2,000 arrests of subjects connected to fentanyl seizure events, as well as confiscating over 13,000 pounds of illicit fentanyl.