The recent deaths of two alleged high-ranking members of the “los Chapitos” faction of the Sinaloa Cartel signal escalating internal conflict and external pressure on the organization. Alan Gabriel Núñez Herrera, wanted by the DEA and carrying a $1 million reward, was found murdered in Culiacán, just days after Óscar Medina, “El Panu,” was assassinated in Mexico City.These killings occur amidst a series of arrests targeting key figures connected to cartel leadership,raising questions about the group’s stability and future operations.
A key operative for the notorious “Los Chapitos” drug cartel, Alan Gabriel Núñez Herrera, has been found dead in Culiacán, Sinaloa, authorities reported. Núñez, wanted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, had a $1 million reward offered for information leading to his arrest.
The body of Núñez was discovered in a residential neighborhood just steps from state government offices, according to journalist Paola Rojas. Police reports indicate he had been bound and shot. His family later identified the remains at the forensic medical service.
Núñez was sought by the DEA on charges including conspiracy to import and traffic fentanyl, possession of machine guns, and money laundering. He was added to the agency’s most wanted list in March 2023, with authorities stating he was born in 1993 and of Hispanic origin. The case underscores the ongoing efforts to dismantle the leadership of the Sinaloa cartel.
According to the Department of Justice, Núñez was responsible for distributing significant quantities of fentanyl – as much as 20,000 pills and up to 5 kilograms of the powder form – which was recently designated a weapon of mass destruction by former President Donald Trump. He allegedly negotiated the delivery of large amounts of the drug from Mexico into the United States.
The DEA detailed one instance in March 2023 where Núñez arranged for the delivery of approximately nine kilograms of fentanyl powder to a buyer in Los Angeles through an associate. That shipment was later seized by law enforcement. A New York judge formally accused Núñez of these crimes in April.
The killing comes amid increased pressure on “Los Chapitos” with the recent arrests of Mario Alfredo Lindoro Navidad, also known as ‘El 7,’ and Mario Lindoro Elenes, ‘El Niño,’ who are identified as the father-in-law and brother-in-law of Iván Archivaldo Guzmán.
Just days before Núñez’s death, Óscar Medina, known as ‘El Panu,’ another high-ranking member of the cartel, was assassinated at a restaurant in the Zona Rosa district of Mexico City.
