By The opinion
Apr 19, 2024, 11:35 AM EDT
A little more than a year after the global strategy that the US government launched against Los Chapitosthere are several blows dealt to that faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
The most recent of them was the extradition of an important operator of the criminal group, who is required by the Federal Court for the Eastern District of California for crimes against health and money laundering.
Is about Luis Felipe López Zamoraalias “El Gordo”, who from 2019 to 2021 operated for the Los Chapitos group, trafficking various drugs, including fentanyl, from Mexico to Sacramento, California.
In addition, he was in charge of collecting the profits from the sale of drugs for subsequent shipment to Mexico, according to the California Court indictment.
This criminal He was arrested on January 2 in Tijuana, Baja California, by elements of the State Citizen Security Force (FESC). His arrest occurred after the request made by the United States government since June 19, 2023 for the aforementioned crimes, and once this was done, he was extradited.
The delivery of Luis Felipe López took place on the morning of this Thursday, April 18, at the Mexico City International Airport (AICM), to the US agents designated for his transfer to that country.
Other blows to Los Chapitos
In addition to the arrest and subsequent extradition to the United States of Ovidio GuzmanLos Chapitos have suffered other blows that modified the structure of their criminal group.
One of them was the capture of Néstor Isidro Pérez Salasalias “El Nini”, who was identified as none other than the head of security for the sons of the Chapo Guzmanso he was one of his closest men.
Currently detained in the maximum security prison El Altiplano, Pérez Salas is fighting a legal battle to avoid his extradition and not face the same fate as Ovidio or “El Gordo.”
Another of the key pieces of the Sinaloa Cartel who is already detained in US territory is Ana Gabriela Rubio Zeaa Guatemalan citizen identified as Los Chapitos’ liaison with Chinese pharmaceutical companies.
His role within the organization was very important, as he helped the Sinaloa Cartel supply chemical precursors from China used in the manufacture of fentanyl.
Rubio Zea was arrested in her home country in March 2023, and four months later she was extradited to the United States.
Keep reading:
– Los Chapitos moved their fentanyl laboratories to northern Mexico to continue producing the drug.
– What has happened to the Los Chapitos organization one year after the hunt that the US began against them.