The United States government has announced increased rewards for information leading to the capture of Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar and Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar, the remaining leaders of a major faction within the Sinaloa Cartel. Both men now have $10 million bounties on their heads as law enforcement agencies intensify their pursuit.
The brothers, sons of imprisoned cartel leader Joaquín Guzmán Loera, have maintained control of their criminal organization despite the recent arrests of their siblings. Their brothers Ovidio Guzmán López and Joaquín Guzmán López were captured and extradited to the United States in 2023 and 2024 respectively, leaving Iván Archivaldo and Jesús Alfredo as the last remaining leaders of their faction.
Homeland Security Investigations recently highlighted the ongoing pursuit with a social media post stating ‘Two down, and two to go,’ referencing the successful apprehensions of the other siblings and the continued search for the remaining brothers.
The fugitive brothers gained additional scrutiny earlier this year when federal prosecutors indicted Sinaloa state Governor Rubén Rocha Moya and nine other officials on drug and weapons trafficking charges in April. According to prosecutors, the brothers allegedly supported Rocha Moya’s election campaign in June 2021. In return, authorities claim the governor allowed the criminal organization to operate without interference, facilitating the placement of corrupt officials in government and law enforcement positions.
The brothers’ faction became prominent within the larger cartel structure following their father’s extradition to the United States in 2017. They established themselves as key players in synthetic drug trafficking and other criminal enterprises across northern and western Mexico, according to federal prosecutors.
Iván Archivaldo first faced charges in the Southern District of California in July 2014. He has since accumulated additional charges related to fentanyl trafficking into the United States and importing precursor chemicals from China to Mexico. His role in the October 2019 incident in Culiacán, where cartel members overwhelmed government forces attempting to arrest his brother Ovidio, features prominently in his arrest warrant.
Jesús Alfredo faces identical charges to his brother. The Treasury Department characterizes him as his brother’s lieutenant, allegedly responsible for extracting information from rivals about potential infiltrations into territories controlled by their faction.
The attempted arrest of Ovidio in 2019 resulted in a significant confrontation in Culiacán, where government forces were forced to release him after being overwhelmed by cartel gunmen who created chaos throughout the city with roadblocks and violence. Ovidio was eventually recaptured in January 2023 and subsequently extradited.
Joaquín Guzmán López took a different path, surrendering to US authorities in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, on July 25, 2024. He was arrested alongside Ismael Zambada García, another senior cartel figure. Court documents reveal that Joaquín admitted to luring Zambada to a meeting on the outskirts of Culiacán before transporting him to the United States. He has since pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and related charges.
Both remaining brothers face significant pressure from multiple fronts. The Drug Enforcement Administration lists them among their most wanted fugitives, while Mexican authorities have issued arrest warrants. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned both men last year for their involvement in fentanyl trafficking.
Recent reports from Mexican media suggested that Iván narrowly avoided arrest, though Mexican security chief Omar García Harfuch denied these claims. Some sources have speculated that the brothers might be negotiating surrender terms with US authorities, though no official confirmation exists.
The pursuit of the remaining brothers represents a high priority for both Mexican and American law enforcement agencies as they continue efforts to disrupt major drug trafficking organizations operating across the border.
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