The Sinaloa cartel is ordering its members to stop fentanyl production and trafficking in response to increasing U.S. pressure. Non-compliance with this directive carries grave consequences, including abduction or death, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Led by El Chapo’s sons, the Sinaloa cartel issued this order to ease U.S. authorities’ ongoing scrutiny. They appear resolute in enforcing their threats.
“The Chapitos have to maintain a reputation, so they’re much more violent than their father was, because they have to show other members of the cartel that they have a reputation where they’re going to take violent action if they have to,” said Mike Vigil, former head of the DEA’s international operations.
The Chapitos expect this move to redirect U.S. attention to their main rival, the Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG). CJNG is another significant fentanyl producer and distributor. Both cartels have long been on the radar of U.S. authorities.
“We know who is responsible. The Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco (CJNG) Cartel, both cartels in Mexico, are responsible for the vast majority of fentanyl that is coming into the U.S.,” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said.
Despite this move by the Chapitos, U.S. officials remain skeptical about its lasting impact. One official even stated: “In the aggregate, it won’t mean anything.”
Fentanyl continues to drive a growing public health crisis. This highly potent synthetic opioid is a deadly threat. There are over 100,000 overdose deaths in the United States each year, and nearly two-thirds of them are linked to fentanyl.
Washington has already taken notice of this crisis. This year, Mexican security forces apprehended a leader of the Chapitos and extradited him to the United States. Additionally, in October, the Biden administration announced a series of indictments against eight Chinese companies accused of importing the chemicals used in fentanyl production.
“And we know that this global fentanyl supply chain, which ends with the deaths of Americans, often starts with chemical companies in China,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said.
To date, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol has seized more than 25,000 pounds of fentanyl for the fiscal year 2023, a 10,000-pound increase from the previous year.