Operation Sinaloa

President Felipe Calderón's government ordered massive raids on drug cartels upon assuming office in December 2006 in response to an increasingly deadly spate of violence in his home state of Michoacán. The decision to intensify drug enforcement operations has led to an ongoing conflict between the federal government and the Mexican drug cartels. Sinaloa is home to the Sinaloa cartel and Beltrán-Leyva Cartel who are at war with each other since their break in 2008 due to the arrest of Alfredo Beltrán Leyva (a.k.a. El Mochomo, "The Desert Ant") on January 20, 2008. Beltrán Leyva's arrest{{cite news| last=Wilkinson|first=Tracy|title=Sinaloa cartel, Zetas push Mexico's drug violence to new depths| url=http://articles.latimes.com/2012/may/27/world/la-fg-mexico-cartel-war-20120528/2| access-date=3 March 2014 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=27 May 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111100707/http://articles.latimes.com/2012/may/27/world/la-fg-mexico-cartel-war-20120528/2| archive-date=11 November 2012| url-status=dead}}{{cite news | title=Major Mexican drug cartel suspects arrested, officials say | date=January 20, 2008 | url =http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/05/20/mexico.narco.arrest/index.html | work =CNN | access-date = 2014-03-03 }} was a huge blow to the Sinaloa Cartel, as he allegedly oversaw large-scale drug-smuggling operations and was a key money launderer for the cartel.

In apparent revenge for the arrest of his brother Alfredo, Arturo Beltrán Leyva ordered the assassination of the commissioner of the Federal Police, Édgar Eusebio Millán Gómez and other top federal officials in the Mexican capital.{{cite web|url=http://www.informador.com.mx/mexico/2008/11686/1/planearon-los-beltran-leyva-homicidio-de-edgar-millan-pfp.htm|title=Planearon los Beltrán Leyva homicidio de Edgar Millán: PFP|work=EL INFORMADOR|access-date=11 December 2014|archive-date=20 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420204643/http://www.informador.com.mx/mexico/2008/11686/1/planearon-los-beltran-leyva-homicidio-de-edgar-millan-pfp.htm|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/americas/news/article_1404666.php/Mexico_plagued_by_new_wave_of_gangland_murders|title=Mexico plagued by new wave of gangland murders|website=monstersandcritics.com|access-date=29 May 2017}} One group of these hit men was captured in a Mexico City house with dozens of assault rifles, pistols, grenade launchers, 30 hand grenades, and bullet-proof jackets bearing the legend FEDA — the Spanish acronym for 'Special Forces of Arturo'. Apparently, the Beltrán Leyva brothers blamed their boss Joaquin "Chapo" Guzmán for their brother's arrest,{{cite news|url=http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/20081209_mexican_drug_cartels_government_progress_and_growing_violence|title=Mexican Drug Cartels: Government Progress and Growing Violence|date=December 11, 2008|work=STRATFOR Global Intelligence|access-date=2009-08-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120013002/http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/20081209_mexican_drug_cartels_government_progress_and_growing_violence|archive-date=January 20, 2012|url-status=dead}} and ordered the assassination of Guzmán's son,{{cite web|url=http://www.wradio.com.mx/nota.aspx?id=800464|title=Revela laptop operaciones de los Beltrán Leyva|date=24 April 2009 |access-date=11 December 2014}} 22-year-old Édgar Guzmán López, which was carried out in a shopping center parking lot by at least 15 gunmen using assault rifles and grenade launchers.{{cite web|url=http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2008/05/10/index.php?section=politica&article=003n1pol|title=Sinaloa, en jaque por la violencia tras ser asesinado hijo del Chapo|author=La Jornada|access-date=11 December 2014}}

• January 3 - Mexican military and police personnel discover 252.7 kilos of cocaine inside freight containers on board a ship in the port of Mazatlán.{{cite web|url=http://www.semar.gob.mx/sitio/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=402&Itemid=288|title=Inicio|access-date=11 December 2014}}
• May 11, 2008 - Alfonso Gutiérrez Loera cousin of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera and 5 other drug traffickers were arrested after a shootout with Federal Police officers in Culiacán, Sinaloa. Along with the captured suspects, 16 assault rifles, 3 grenades, 102 magazines and 3,543 ammunition rounds were seized.{{cite web|url=http://www.esmas.com/noticierostelevisa/mexico/731391.html|title=Capturan al primo del 'Chapo' Guzmn en Sinaloa|access-date=11 December 2014|archive-date=30 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930070331/http://www.esmas.com/noticierostelevisa/mexico/731391.html|url-status=dead}}
• May 13 - Secretary of the Interior Juan Camilo Mouriño announces the launch of Operation Sinaloa by deploying 3,000 Army and Federal Police troops to Sinaloa.{{cite web|url=http://www.esmas.com/noticierostelevisa/mexico/732092.html|title=Inicia operativo contra el narco en Culiacn|access-date=11 December 2014}}{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1341515720080513|title=Mexico sends troops to fight Sinaloa drug cartel|work=Reuters|date=13 May 2008 |access-date=11 December 2014}} That day, 300 Mexican troops in a 50 vehicle convoy arrived in the city of Navolato.{{cite web|url=http://www.esmas.com/noticierostelevisa/mexico/732073.html|title=Despliega Ejrcito soldados en Sinaloa|access-date=11 December 2014}}
• May 22 - In Culiacán, Sinaloa, acting on an citizen's complaint that armed men were present inside a household in Culiacán's Colonia Guadalupe. Mexican troops from the 24th Motorized Cavalry Regiment and 94th Infantry Battalion raided the household and seized $6 million, 13,831 rounds of ammunition, and 16 magazines but no suspects were apprehended.{{cite web|url=http://www.sedena.gob.mx/index.php?id_art=2031|title=Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional - Inicio|access-date=11 December 2014}}
• May 24 - Mexican Naval air and ground units intercepted two small boats carrying 3 tons of marijuana and close to 2 kilos of marijuana seeds in Altata, Sinaloa.{{cite web|url=http://www.semar.gob.mx/sitio/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=750&Itemid=288|title=Inicio|access-date=11 December 2014}}
• May 27 - Mexican marines and Federal Police forces conducted a search raid on two houses in Navolato. Marine and Police personnel discovered and seized three assault rifles, 2 rifle magazines and 33 cartridges. 3 trucks were also seized, inside two of them various packages of marijuana was discovered.{{cite web|url=http://www.semar.gob.mx/sitio/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=754&Itemid=288|title=Inicio|access-date=11 December 2014}}
• June 5 - Mexican marines locate and destroy 1,200 marijuana plants inside a plantation outside the town of El Naranjo. Also, in another part of the state 3 individuals were arrested at a military checkpoint. They were in possession of 400 grams of crystal meth, 3 packages of marijuana with a weight of 400 kilos, 2 assault rifles and two trucks.{{cite web|url=http://www.semar.gob.mx/sitio/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=766&Itemid=288|title=Inicio|access-date=11 December 2014}}
• June 9 - Due to a maritime and aerial patrol, Mexican naval units seized two small boats carrying 4 tons of marijuana.{{cite web|url=http://www.semar.gob.mx/sitio/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=770&Itemid=288|title=Inicio|access-date=11 December 2014}} Days later, The Mexican Navy incinerated the seized marijuana.{{cite web|url=http://www.semar.gob.mx/sitio/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=772&Itemid=288|title=Inicio|access-date=11 December 2014}}

• February 18 - Mexican Marines discover 21 grams of cocaine hidden inside the tires of a pick up truck that was stopped for inspection in Mazatlán.{{cite web|url=http://www.semar.gob.mx/sitio/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=320&Itemid=201|title=Inicio|access-date=11 December 2014}}
• March 19 - The Mexican Military captures alleged Sinaloa cartel drug boss Vicente Zambada Niebla, son of drug lord Ismael Zambada García El Mayo.{{cite web|url=http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/584798.html|title=El Universal - - Detienen al hijo de El Mayo Zambada|date=19 June 2013|access-date=11 December 2014}}[https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090319/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_mexico_drug_capture] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090324075447/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090319/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_mexico_drug_capture |date=March 24, 2009 }}
• June 12 - Mexican marines locate and seized a drug laboratory filled with 50 thousand liters of liquid Ephedrine 46 kilometers north of Culiacán.{{cite web|url=http://www.semar.gob.mx/sitio/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=477&Itemid=201|title=Inicio|access-date=11 December 2014}}
• October 12 - With the help of a U.S. Navy ship, Mexican Naval personnel intercepted the ship vessel "FIONA" of the coast of Clarion Island. 4 individuals and 500 kilos of cocaine were seized.{{cite web|url=http://www.semar.gob.mx/sitio/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=817&Itemid=201|title=Inicio|access-date=11 December 2014}}

• January 2 - Carlos Beltrán Leyva, brother of Marcos Arturo Beltrán-Leyva was arrested by Federal Police officers in Culiacán, Sinaloa.{{cite web|url=http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/primera/34194.html|title=El Universal - - La PF detiene en Culiacn a hermano del Jefe de Jefes|date=14 June 2013|access-date=11 December 2014}}[https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100103/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_drug_war_mexico] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100119022730/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100103/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_drug_war_mexico |date=January 19, 2010 }}
• March 31 – In various parts around Culiacán, troops from the 9th military zone seized 7 kilos 200 grams of crystal that was found inside the compartment of a truck, a clandestine laboratory for producing synthetic drugs with 65 liters of methamphetamine, 30 assault rifles, 23 magazines, one vehicle and $30 thousand.{{cite web|url=http://www.sedena.gob.mx/index.php?id_art=4147|title=Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional - Inicio|access-date=11 December 2014}}
• April 30 – For two days, SIEDO agents supported by hundreds of marines initiated various household raids in Mazatlán. Two individuals were arrested.{{cite web|url=http://www.noroeste.com.mx/publicaciones.php?id=578429&id_seccion=|title=Realizan Armada y SIEDO 12 cateos en Mazatln|access-date=11 December 2014}}
• May 1 – In Cualiacan, Sinaloa, a Municipal Police commander was ambushed and shot dead in his patrol vehicle in the Colonia of Ferrocarrilera.{{cite web|url=http://www.debate.com.mx/eldebate/Articulos/ArticuloPrimera.asp?IdArt=9842900&IdCat=6087|title=EL DEBATE|access-date=11 December 2014|archive-date=1 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401235516/http://www.debate.com.mx/eldebate/Articulos/ArticuloPrimera.asp?IdArt=9842900&IdCat=6087|url-status=dead}}
• In Los Mochis, government officials announced that 500 Federal Police officers would be deployed in the municipality of Ahome to reinforce the municipal police. Less than 150 of those officers will be sent to Los Mochis.{{cite web|url=http://www.debate.com.mx/eldebate/Articulos/ArticuloPrimera.asp?IdArt=9843088&IdCat=6087|title=EL DEBATE|access-date=11 December 2014|archive-date=1 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401235529/http://www.debate.com.mx/eldebate/Articulos/ArticuloPrimera.asp?IdArt=9843088&IdCat=6087|url-status=dead}}

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{{reflist|30em}}

{{Mexican Drug War}}

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Sinaloa

Category:Sinaloa