Cartel Watch

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FBI Places Venezuelan National on Ten Most Wanted List in Historic Cybercrime Case cartelwatch.net/2026/03/22/fbi…

A tragic shooting claimed the life of a taqueria employee in broad daylight in Culiacán, Sinaloa, right across from the city's international airport. The victim, identified as Julio César, worked at the popular "El Pipirín" taqueria located on Boulevard Aeropuerto (Aeropuerto boulevard), directly opposite the airfield. The attack unfolded around 1:20 PM on Saturday, March 21, 2026. Armed assailants opened fire on the worker; he attempted to flee but was struck multiple times and collapsed lifeless next to the ticket booth, lying face up. Perpetrators fled the scene immediately after the gunfire. Local reports indicate this marks at least the third homicide reported in Culiacán that same Saturday, highlighting the persistent wave of targeted violence in the region. No official arrests have been announced, and authorities continue to investigate the motive behind the execution-style killing in this busy commercial and transit area.

Reports of armed clashes are emerging from the Badiraguato mountains in Sinaloa, Mexico. The rugged Sierra region, long associated with cartel activity and the birthplace of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, continues to see intense fighting between rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel and affiliated groups. Recent incidents include shootouts involving groups such as Los Calabazas (aligned with Gente de Guano) against Fuerzas Especiales de Isidro / Gente de Músico, as well as operations by Mexican military forces resulting in detentions and casualties. The violence has featured gunfire exchanges, drone activity in prior months, and displacement of local residents in communities like La Tuna, Huixiopa, and surrounding areas. Authorities have not always confirmed details immediately, but local sources and videos circulating online point to ongoing confrontations in the sierra as of early March 2026.

President Trump just announced that ICE agents will be deployed to U.S. airports starting Monday to assist with security during the ongoing Democrat-led DHS shutdown. He stated they will conduct operations to arrest any illegal immigrants encountered, placing a heavy emphasis on those from Somalia. This closely mirrors recent reports of Trump's Truth Social posts amid the partial government shutdown affecting TSA staffing and airport operations. The move is framed as a response to funding disputes and aims to enhance security while targeting immigration enforcement.

The growth of fentanyl markets in Mexico has not followed classic supply-and-demand patterns. Instead, local criminal groups have played a decisive role in shaping what drugs reach consumers, how they are distributed, and the conditions under which they are available, often determining access, pricing, and even consumption patterns in different regions. This dynamic is explored in depth in InSight Crime's latest investigation: "How Organized Crime Shapes Mexico's Fentanyl Markets." Key insights include how these groups have unevenly promoted or restricted domestic fentanyl use along trafficking corridors, with strategic decisions by local criminal actors directly influencing public health outcomes and market evolution. Read the full report here: bit.ly/4byDg48

Security camera footage has captured the precise moment a suspect assaulted and robbed a bakery cashier in Cali, Colombia. In the circulated video, the assailant is seen aggressively intimidating the female employee, forcing her to hand over the day's cash earnings from the register. The brazen daytime robbery has sparked widespread outrage among local residents and business owners in the area, who are calling for swift justice. Authorities and community members are urging the public to share the images and video widely in hopes of identifying and apprehending the individual responsible. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact local police.

A newly surfaced video provides an alternative viewpoint on the recent operation in El Salado, Culiacán municipality, Sinaloa, which culminated in the brief/temporary detention of Mónica Zambada Niebla, daughter of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. before her release. The footage offers fresh perspective on the events surrounding her short-term retention by federal forces (primarily the Navy) during the raid, amid reports of clashes, multiple cartel members killed, and one confirmed arrest (Omar Osvaldo Torres Cabada, alias "El Patas"). Authorities later confirmed no outstanding arrest warrant existed against her in Mexico, leading to her quick liberation and handover to family.

The U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced that Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a low-profile vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The vessel was reportedly operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations (DTOs) and engaged in narco-trafficking along established smuggling routes. Following the strike on March 19, 2026, SOUTHCOM notified the U.S. Coast Guard to launch search and rescue operations for the three survivors (referred to as narco-terrorists in official statements). No U.S. military personnel were harmed in the operation. This marks one of several such strikes reported in the region as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks.

Renowned Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio Rodríguez (79) has received a combat AKM rifle (a modernized Kalashnikov variant) and a ceremonial replica from Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces. The presentation occurred on March 20, 2026, during National Defense Day events, attended by President Miguel Díaz-Canel and handed over by FAR Minister Álvaro López Miera. This follows Rodríguez's March 18 statement on his blog *Segunda Cita*, where he declared: “I demand my AKM, if they come [attack]. And let it be clear, I say this very seriously,” in response to perceived U.S. threats amid heightened tensions with Washington. The gift was described as recognition of his “patriotic willingness to take up arms to defend the homeland against any aggression from the United States government.” The iconic Nueva Trova artist has long been a supporter of the Cuban Revolution; the gesture has sparked widespread media coverage and mixed reactions online.

Strong explosions reported at a sports facility in Los Reyes, Michoacán an area known as a stronghold for R5 gang members, who are affiliated with the Cártel de Tepalcatepec (part of the Cárteles Unidos alliance). Details remain unconfirmed, with no immediate reports on casualties, perpetrators, or the exact cause (such as a targeted attack, drone-dropped explosives, or improvised device amid ongoing cartel rivalries in the Tierra Caliente region). This fits the pattern of escalating violence in Michoacán, where groups like the CJNG and factions of Cárteles Unidos frequently clash using mines, IEDs, and other tactics. Authorities have not issued an official statement yet.

The Mexican Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) announced that Omar Oswaldo Torres Cabada, alias "El Patas", a key operator and alleged leader within the "Los Mayos" (Mayiza) faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, was captured during a high-impact operation on Thursday, March 19, 2026. The raid took place in the area of Valle Escondido, within the El Salado sindicatura south of Culiacán, Sinaloa, a zone historically linked to the faction aligned with Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. According to official reports from Semar and the Federal Security Cabinet, naval personnel were attacked upon arrival, leading to a confrontation in which 11 alleged armed individuals were killed. Security forces repelled the assault in line with legal protocols. Torres Cabada, 39 years old, is identified as a strategic figure in the Los Mayos structure, which has been engaged in an internal power struggle with the rival "Los Chapitos" faction following El Mayo's arrest in the U.S. in July 2024. Authorities seized high-powered firearms and tactical equipment during the operation. The action was part of broader federal efforts targeting cells associated with the faction. In related developments from the same deployment, Mónica Zambada Niebla (daughter of El Mayo) was briefly located and safeguarded but released shortly after, as she had no active arrest warrants in Mexico or the United States and no direct criminal links were established in this context. Another individual, referred to as "El Trono" (alleged head of bodyguards), was also detained in a connected phase of the operation.

The Mexican Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) announced that Omar Oswaldo Torres Cabada, alias "El Patas", a key operator and alleged leader within the "Los Mayos" (Mayiza) faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, was captured during a high-impact operation on Thursday, March 19, 2026. The raid took place in the area of Valle Escondido, within the El Salado sindicatura south of Culiacán, Sinaloa, a zone historically linked to the faction aligned with Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. According to official reports from Semar and the Federal Security Cabinet, naval personnel were attacked upon arrival, leading to a confrontation in which 11 alleged armed individuals were killed. Security forces repelled the assault in line with legal protocols. Torres Cabada, 39 years old, is identified as a strategic figure in the Los Mayos structure, which has been engaged in an internal power struggle with the rival "Los Chapitos" faction following El Mayo's arrest in the U.S. in July 2024. Authorities seized high-powered firearms and tactical equipment during the operation. The action was part of broader federal efforts targeting cells associated with the faction. In related developments from the same deployment, Mónica Zambada Niebla (daughter of El Mayo) was briefly located and safeguarded but released shortly after, as she had no active arrest warrants in Mexico or the United States and no direct criminal links were established in this context. Another individual, referred to as "El Trono" (alleged head of bodyguards), was also detained in a connected phase of the operation.

During Mexico's presidential morning briefing (mañanera) on March 20, 2026, Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection Omar García Harfuch addressed the recent federal operation in El Salado, Sinaloa, and clarified why Mónica Zambada Niebla, daughter of Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, was not formally arrested. According to Harfuch, authorities from the Mexican Navy (Semar) located and temporarily safeguarded Zambada Niebla during the operation for security reasons, including her own protection and that of a minor who was with her, as well as the personnel involved. However, she was never placed under formal arrest. After verifying her legal status through relevant databases and consultations, officials confirmed she has no active arrest warrants or judicial orders against her in either Mexico or the United States. Although she has been listed since 2007 on the U.S. Treasury Department's OFAC sanctions list (related to financial networks tied to the cartel), this is an administrative designation and does not equate to a criminal arrest warrant. Once her lack of pending legal issues was corroborated, she was released and handed over to her family in accordance with established protocols and the rule of law. This explanation aimed to counter circulating reports of a high-profile "detention and release," emphasizing that the action was limited to a brief protective custody measure rather than an apprehension. The operation itself resulted in 11 alleged gunmen killed in a confrontation, along with the arrest of other individuals linked to the "Los Mayos" faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.

A 32-year-old man identified as Raldy José Frías Candelario, alias 'Prieto,' was fatally shot by unknown assailants who arrived in a vehicle and opened fire without warning in the La Tosca sector of Villa Altagracia, San Cristóbal province, Dominican Republic. He succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Authorities and local reports note that the victim had a prior criminal record involving drug-related offenses and kidnapping.

“We have taken and coordinated the collection of individuals known and suspected terrorists… and inputted that into the TIDE system, which has radically increased our ability to identify cartel and gang members trying to enter our country.”

Antifa-linked individuals spotted amid the crowd protesting, and later vandalizing, the new ICE detention site warehouse in Salt Lake City. The demo drew hundreds opposing the facility near the airport, but escalated with property damage and arrests.

In a joint operation, elements of the Mexican Navy (SEMAR) and Colima State Police chased down and killed César Gabriel Zepeda Guzmán 'La Barquita', identified as the chief of sicarios for La Mayiza, in Manzanillo, Colima, on March 18. The pursuit turned into a shootout, resulting in his death and the arrest of an accompanying woman, marking a significant hit to the group's operations in the region.

In a major police operation in the Las Palmas neighborhood of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivian authorities arrested Tatiana Verónica Marset Alba, a 22-year-old Uruguayan woman described as the half-sister (or stepsister, per some reports) of notorious Uruguayan drug trafficker Sebastián Enrique Marset Cabrera 34. The raid, which also led to the capture of Sebastián Marset himself (who was quickly extradited to the United States), resulted in the detention of Tatiana along with three other men: two Venezuelans and one Colombian (some reports mention four men total, but consistent accounts confirm additional foreign nationals alongside her). During the intervention at what authorities described as a "safe house" linked to Marset's criminal network, agents seized high-caliber firearms, including AK-47 rifles, pistols, ammunition, and other items like hyper-realistic silicone masks. The suspects now face charges related to illegal arms trafficking, possession of weapons, criminal association, and belonging to an organized crime group under Bolivian Law 400. The Public Ministry has formed a special team of prosecutors to handle the investigation. Tatiana Marset Alba has been ordered to six months of preventive detention and is being held in Palmasola prison. Authorities allege she played a role in the group's security and logistical operations. This development comes amid the broader dismantling of Marset's network, following his long international manhunt and transfer to U.S. custody on charges including cocaine trafficking and money laundering.