The U.S. Government is offering a reward of $5 million for the capture of three alleged leaders of a branch of the Sinaloa drug cartel in Chihuahua and the brother of Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
Federal authorities are currently searching for Aureliano Guzman Loera, also known as “El Guano,” the brother of Guzman, in addition to the Salgueiro Nevarez brothers Ruperto, Jose, and Heriberto from Chihuahua.
As reported by the Arizona Republic, it is claimed that Aureliano Guzman Loera was involved in a large-scale drug smuggling network spanning across Mexico, Arizona, and Texas.
Noel “El Flaco” Salgueiro, who is accused of being the main figure in the Chihuahua area, is a sibling of the Salgueiros.
Salgueiro “El Flaco” was purportedly a lieutenant to Guzman “El Chapo” and one of the founders of Nueva Gente, the branch of the Sinaloa cartel in Chihuahua state.
Juárez, one of the most violent cities in the world, became a battleground between the drug cartel and Nueva Gente, a decade ago.
Individuals affiliated with the Sinaloa drug cartel have been found guilty in El Paso courts, including one person implicated in the notorious ‘Wedding Murders’ incident.
Heriberto Nevarez Salgueiro, also known as “El Flaco,” was reportedly captured by Mexican army special forces in Culiacán, Sinaloa, 10 years ago. He allegedly took command of the drug family-run organization previously led by Ruperto, alias “El 37” or “El Che,” and Jose.
The brothers are registered by U.S. Officials, hailing from Guadalupe y Calvo in the southernmost part of Chihuahua. Situated in the “Golden Triangle,” a harsh and isolated area where Chihuahua, Sinaloa, and Durango meet, renowned for cultivating opium and marijuana, lies this small mining town.
The U.S. State Department has announced that the four individuals, who are suspected of being prominent members of a cartel, are providing rewards of up to $5 million each for any information that can help in their capture.
The awards were announced on Friday after the revelation of two accusations of global drug smuggling by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tucson.
Drug smuggling: ‘The most intense it has ever been.’ Former El Paso DEA leader offers a solemn viewpoint on the problem of narcotics transportation.
As per the Department of Justice, the accused individuals are facing charges for dealing fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana over several years.
Since its inception, the State Department’s Narcotics Rewards Program has disbursed over $135 million in rewards, with the reward being offered since 1986.
The charges arise from cases by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Anyone with details about the renowned drug smugglers can contact the ICE tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423).
The Salgueiro-Nevarez Group
The Salgueiro siblings are purportedly the heads of what federal prosecutors are referring to as the Salgueiro-Nevarez Group, or the SNO.
“El Flaco” Salgueiro, together with his siblings and nieces and nephews, purportedly manages the familial faction of the Sinaloa cartel, recognized by Mexican authorities as the Gente Nueva, denoting the Fresh Faces.
Mexican military authorities have alleged that “Che” and “Flaco” El began their criminal careers in the mid-1990s, taking control of marijuana production in the Sierra de Chihuahua.
Additionally, Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, the drug lord of the Juárez cartel, has been sentenced to 28 years of imprisonment.
The Salgueiros are purportedly engaged in the farming of opium poppy and cannabis plantations in the southern area of Chihuahua state.
In 2011, the Mexican military claimed that the arrest of “El Flaco” Salgueiro marked the moment when the Salgueiro syndicate was believed to have been involved in the transportation of approximately 15 tons of marijuana and 2 tons of cocaine into the United States on a monthly basis.
Following the apprehension of “El Flaco,” Jose “El Che” Salgueiro purportedly assumed control of the familial narcotics enterprise.
Additional Information: The spouse of the drug lord ‘El Chapo’ confesses to charges in the United States.
In addition to alleged drug smuggling, the organization was also involved in extortion of miners and businesses, retail drug sales, as well as killings and abductions in the region of Parral del Hidalgo, according to Mexican authorities.
If it is still unclear, Mexico is currently holding someone in custody. The Mexican army arrested Heriberto Salgueiro in 2015 in Parral del Hidalgo and also arrested “El Salgueiro” in 2012.
In December 2019, El “Flaco” Salgueiro was held at the El Paso County Jail in Texas before being extradited from Mexico to the United States. He has since been transferred to another federal court location.
