Dismantling of a Criminal Cell in Sinaloa
In a high-impact joint operation, elements of the Secretariat of the Navy, the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection and the Attorney General’s Office carried out two searches in homes linked to Pedro Inzunza Coronel, alias “El Pichón”, a prominent leader of the criminal faction known as “Chapo Isidro”. This intervention is part of a comprehensive national security strategy to weaken the operations of drug trafficking groups in the region.
During surveillance and reconnaissance tours, the naval troops were attacked with direct fire from the buildings under surveillance. Faced with the imminent threat to their physical integrity, the military personnel repelled the attack in a proportional and controlled manner, neutralizing the hostility and securing the perimeter. The result of this confrontation was the death of the ringleader Pedro Inzunza Coronel, the capture of Adelemo Pérez Hernández, “Lemu”main logistics operator of the organization, and the arrest of Miguel Ángel Villalba Castillo, a hitman of the same cell. At the scene, three short weapons, a fragmentation grenade and a bag containing one kilogram of fentanyl pills were seized.
Findings in Clandestine Properties and Laboratories
The authorized searches in the municipalities of Guasave and Ahome allowed the discovery and dismantling of a significant criminal infrastructure. Among the seized assets were two high-powered firearms, four vehicles presumably used for logistical and criminal activities, and two cell phones that will be subjected to forensic analysis to extract intelligence. The most relevant discovery was that of two clandestine laboratories equipped for the manufacture of synthetic drugs. In these facilities, an assault rifle, multiple useful cartridges, a truck, 1,425 kilograms of methamphetamine (crystal), one kilogram of powdered fentanyl, 600 liters of chemical precursors essential for the synthesis of narcotics, an industrial chemical reactor and a variety of containers and processing utensils.
This case has a crucial international dimension. In May 2025, the United States Department of Justice filed an indictment for the crime of narcoterrorism against Pedro Inzunza Noriega, alias “Sagittarius”—former leader of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel—and his son, the now deceased Pedro Inzunza Coronel, “The Pigeon”. The US federal indictment establishes that, if found guilty, the defendants would face a sentence of life imprisonment, with a minimum of 20 years of inescapable confinement, in addition to a financial fine of $20 million.
Extension of the Operation and Capture in Spain
In a parallel line of investigation, the result of international cooperation and intelligence work, Alejandro Reynoso Jiménez was identified, a member of a network specialized in the collection and supply of chemical precursors. This cell was dedicated to supplying essential inputs to laboratories in Mexico for the production of synthetic narcotics destined for the illegal markets of Europe and United States. Thanks to an exchange of information in real time, it was established that Reynoso Jiménez traveled to Madrid, Spain, where he was detained by agents of the Spanish National Police in compliance with a request for international collaboration.
Simultaneously, in Guadalajara, Jalisco, a search was carried out on a property related to Alejandro Reynoso. At this location, personnel from the Navy, the SSPC and the FGR seized metal drums, containers with controlled substances and chemical precursors, as well as specialized laboratory equipment for the manufacture of fentanyl and MDMA (ecstasy). The evidence confirms that the site functioned as a smaller-scale production plant for the production of these highly addictive substances.
This coordinated operation represents a strategic blow to the finances and operational capacity of one of the most violent drug trafficking factions, directly impacting its supply chain of synthetic drugs, a global public health problem. The seizure of precursors and equipment prevents the manufacture of millions of lethal doses.
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