Photo: CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN/AFP/Getty Images
By: The opinion Posted 06 Sep 2023, 10:58 am EDT
He Sinaloa cartelespecially the faction led by the little boysis one of the main targets of the US authorities due to the huge amounts of fentanyl that cross the border.
That is why, in addition to the children of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmanall the members that make up this criminal structure are in the crosshairs of the DEA and the Department of State.
One of them, identified as John Paul Lozanoalias “Camarón”, fulfills a fundamental function within the cartel, although little has been heard about him because he maintains a low profile.
And it is that this 30-year-old man is considered the main supplier of weapons for the criminal organization, which, for the most part, come from the United States and range from small pistols to machine guns and grenades.
It is because of that his name was included in a joint indictment against 28 members and collaborators of Los Chapitos which was made public on April 14, 2023, as revealed by the Infobae site.
In addition to providing the arsenal to the armed arms of the Cartel, such as “Los Ninis” and “Los Salazar”, it also distributes revolvers to the gangs that operate inside the prisons, such as “Artistas Asesinos”, to maintain control of the penitentiary centers. .
And although his name is not listed among the criminal leaders wanted by the United States, the State Department offers a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to his arrestbecause in addition to arms trafficking, he is also accused of importing and distributing fentanyl.
Intelligence work by the US authorities established that, in August 2021, “Camarón” met a corrupt border agent thanks to a high-ranking gang leader allied with Los Chapitos.
This relationship allowed him to enter and leave the US with complete freedom to traffic fentanyl pills. For these crimes, the Prosecutor’s Office seeks a life sentence or, at least, a sentence of 40 years in prison.
Keep reading:
– The US also participated in the first “Culiacanazo”, the operation in which Ovidio Guzmán was arrested and released.
– How the Sinaloa Cartel reached the northern border of the US through courier services.