The Sinaloa Cartel is one of the most powerful criminal organizations in the world, primarily known for trafficking drugs such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. This organization, also known as the Pacific Cartel, has its headquarters in Culiacán, (Sinaloa, Mexico) and it was recently learned that it already has a presence in a large part of the territory in the United States. To the above, we also add that Colombia is one of his favorite territories and he already carries out activities from here.
According to a report presented by the Ombudsman of Colombia which was titled ‘The contrasts of humanitarian reality. A country that seeks Peace’, reflects a growth in the presence of illegal armed groups in Colombian territory over the years.
To get an idea, according to the report, In the country there are various actors outside the law who seek to exercise control over the national territory. Among them are: Armed groups, Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces, ELN, FARC-EP Dissidents and Organized Crime groups.
From 2019 to 2024, their expansion is more than evident and the figures prove it. For example, in 2019 the ELN had activities in 149 municipalities and in 2024 it will be in 232. In that same sense, The Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces are the group that has expanded its operations the most over the years, since in 2019 it operated in 213 municipalities and now it operates in 392.
Where is the Sinaloa Cartel present in Colombia?
Specifically speaking of the Sinaloa Cartel, The study showed that in the Caribbean region which is made up of the departments of Bolívar, Sucre, La Guajira, Magdalena, Atlántico, César and the Archipelago of San Andrés and Providencia, Presence of the Sinaloa Cartel structure was detectedwhich translates into an increase in extortions, massacres, homicides and more.
“The risk scenario is presented by the escalation of the conflict in the Metropolitan Area of Barranquilla over the control of income from illicit economies between the illegal armed group AGC and organized crime structures. The presence and/or actions of new transnational structures such as Los Malean, Tren de Aragua, Sinaloa Cartel and the Balkan Cartel are also highlighted. Likewise, the increase in extortion stands out, as well as massacres, dismemberments, exemplary homicides and digital violence,” the document stipulates.
And what about the Jalisco New Generation Cartel?
In the case of the Jalisco Cartel, the presence varies throughout the national territory. According to the report, Due to its geographical position, Cali becomes a strategic center for the southwest of the countryhighlighting three criminal mobility corridors in which illicit drugs, processing supplies and weapons are mobilized.
In this territory, the presence of armed actors was detected such as the AGC and cartels serving drug trafficking such as Sinaloa, Jalisco Nueva Generación and Los Zetas.
In this same sense, the Caribbean is also a territory threatened by their presence.
