These Are The Drug Lords Still Managing To Escape The U.S.-Mexico Offensive Against Cartels

29 high-profile cartel members were extradited from Mexico to the United States last week as part of an agreement between the countries as they seek to crack down on these criminal organizations.

Among them were a handful of high-profile drug lords who led some of Mexico's fiercest criminal groups, including Rafael Caro Quintero, alias "El Narco de Narcos" and co-founder of the Guadalajara cartel, Miguel Ángel and Omar Treviño Morales, founders of "Los Zetas."

In recent months, efforts made by the Trump and Sheinbaum administrations to combat drug cartels have caused drug cartels to reshape their ranks. But as Infobae Mexico reports, some of the "heavyweight" cartel leaders are still managing to evade capture.

Sinaloa cartel

Immersed in an internal battle for control over the organization and drug smuggling territories, the Sinaloa cartel split up into two factions led by two different families. Those loyal to Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán and his sons have sided with "Los Chapitos," led by Iván Archivaldo and Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar.

Since September of last year, Los Chapitos have been battling "La Mayiza" for control of the now-defunct cartel. Iván Archivaldo and Jesús Alfredo share leadership roles in the clique's fentanyl trafficking operations, including shipping precursor chemicals from China to Mexico and coordinating fentanyl trafficking into the U.S.

Both brothers have been indicted across several judicial districts over the years for major violations of U.S. drug laws and the U.S. Department of State offers a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest of Iván Archivaldo.

Similarly to Los Chapitos, the clique loyal to Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada is led by his son, Ismael Zambada Sicairos, also known as "Mayito Flaco." According to InSight Crime, Sicairos is the only son of El Mayo who is allegedly still operating in Culiacán, following the arrest of several of his brothers. Some of them have served sentences in the United States, where they have collaborated with the justice system.

Zambada Sicairos has been indicted by a U.S. court since 2013. Both the Guzmán brothers and the "Mayito Flaco" remain at large at the moment.

Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG)

Perhaps the most cautious of all drug lords, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias "El Mencho" has been an enigma for Mexican and American authorities alike in recent years. El Mencho is one of the most wanted fugitives in Mexico and the Department of State offers a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to his arrest.

Under his leadership, the CJNG has grown into one of the most violent drug cartels in Mexico by trafficking cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines.

Since 2017, El Mencho has been indicted several times in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The most recent one was filed on April 5, 2022, charging him with conspiracy and distribution of a controlled substance for purposes of unlawful importation into the U.S. and use of a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking crimes.

La Familia Michoacana

Formed in the early 2000s in the state of Michoacán, the group is known for its involvement in drug trafficking as well as extortion, kidnapping and other forms of organized crime.

According to Infobae Mexico, the group is led by Johnny and José Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, also known as "El Pez" and "El Fresa," respectively.

In 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated both brothers and the Familia Michoacana for having engaged in, or attempted to engage in, activities related to the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production.

According to authorities, La Familia Michoacana is behind the increasing U.S. presence of rainbow fentanyl, a drug that is made to attract children and young users.