Two Members of The Fuerzas Especiales Avendaño, An Armed Wing Loyal To 'Los Chapitos,' Arrested in Sinaloa

Mexico's Secretary of Security and Civilian Protection Omar Garcia Harfuch announced the arrest of two alleged members of the armed wing known as Fuerzas Especiales Avendaño (FEA), which provides protection to the Sinaloa cartel faction of "Los Chapitos."

Concretely, Jesse Kevin "N" and Juan Carlos "N"—are linked to the armed wing that works for the criminal organization led by Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán's sons. One of the suspects is believed to be responsible for the murder of two minors and their father in Culiacán, Sinaloa, in January.

Harfuch announced on X that their capture was made possible by a joint operation carried out by the National Guard and Mexico's Secretariat of National Defense. The operation followed reports of properties in Culiacán being used as safe houses.

Authorities seized this week three locations used by the criminal cell to store drugs and weapons. During the operation, law enforcement recovered 20 kilograms of cocaine, a dozen firearms, and six vehicles, including three armored cars.

Mexican outlets recalled that Juan Carlos "N," also known as "Cholo," is connected to the murders of two minors and their father on January 19 in Culiacán. The killings caused widespread outrage, with thousands of people taking to the streets to protest and demand the resignation of Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya.

Alexander, 9, and Gael, 12, were killed alongside their father when a group of armed men attempted to steal their vehicle. According to El Sol de Sinaloa, Antonio de Jesús, the father, tried to flee the ambush by accelerating, but the criminals opened fire on the vehicle.

Authorities said the father died at the scene, while the two minors succumbed to their injuries hours later at a nearby hospital.

As reported by Noroeste, vehicle theft has become the most common crime in Sinaloa since "Los Chapitos" and "La Mayiza" began battling for control of the Sinaloa cartel and drug trafficking routes in the region.

Since the violent conflict began in September, Noroeste reports that more than 3,800 vehicles have been stolen across the state. In March alone, 402 vehicle theft reports have been filed, averaging 20.1 cases per day.

The number of homicides related to the ongoing turf wars has also surged. As of March 24, Noroeste reports that at least 1,034 people have been killed since September.