This is a list of Mexico's 37 most-wanted drug lords as published by Mexican federal authorities on 23 March 2009. According to a ''

BBC Mundo BBC Mundo (Spanish for ''BBC World'') is part of the BBC World Service's foreign language output, one of 40 languages it provides. History BBC Mundo is the BBC's service for the Spanish-speaking world. It is part of BBC World Service. The w ...

'' Mexico report, the 37 drug lords "have jeopardized México national security." As of 8 January 2016, 25 drug lords had been captured, eight had been killed and four remained fugitives. As of 2022, the single remaining fugitive of the 37 most-wanted drug lords is Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada who has never been arrested and incarcerated. The list of drug lords is grouped by their drug cartels. Mexico has offered up to 30 million

peso The peso is the monetary unit of several countries in the Americas, and the Philippines. Originating in the Spanish Empire, the word translates to "weight". In most countries the peso uses the same sign, "$", as many currencies named "dollar" ...

s for the capture of each of the fugitives.''PROCURADURIA GENERAL DE LA REPUBLICA: Acuerdo Específico del Procurador General de la República, por el que se ofrece recompensa a quien o quienes proporcionen información relevante y útil, que auxilie eficientemente para la localización y detención de las personas que en el mismo se indican.''
Procuraduria General de la Republica. Mexico City, Mexico. 23 March 2009. The United States also offers rewards for two of them. The most-wanted of the 37 drug lords was

Joaquín Guzmán Loera Joaquín or Joaquin is a male given name, the Spanish version of Joachim. Given name * Joaquín (footballer, born 1956), Spanish football midfielder * Joaquín (footballer, born 1981), Spanish football winger * Joaquín (footballer, born 1982) ...

, for whom Mexican and U.S. governments offered a total bounty of US$7 million. He was captured on 22 February 2014 in

Mazatlán Mazatlán () is a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding '' municipio'', known as the Mazatlán Municipality. It is located at on the Pacific coast, across from the southernmost tip ...

, Sinaloa, where he was staying at a hotel. He escaped on 11 July 2015 through a 1.5 kilometer long tunnel from his cell in the Mexican maximum security prison but was recaptured by

Mexican Marines The Naval Infantry Corps ( es, Cuerpo de Infantería de Marina) are the naval infantry and amphibious infantry force of the Mexican Navy. The main task of the ''Infantería de Marina'' is to guarantee the maritime security of the country's port ...

following a gun battle on 8 January 2016. As of 8 January 2016, 25 drug lords had been captured, eight had been killed and four remained fugitives.

Chronology

As of 18 January 2011, Mexico had captured or killed 20 of the 37 in the

most-wanted list A most wanted list is a list of criminals and alleged criminals who are believed to be fugitive, at large and are identified as a law enforcement agency's highest priority for capture. The list can alert the public to be watchful, and generates p ...

. ''"El Amarillo", entre los 29 narcos más buscados en México.''
El Universal. El Universal. 18 January 2011. "Vanguardia" Coahuila, Mexico. Retrieved 8 March 2012. The 21 June 2011 arrest of

José de Jesús Méndez Vargas José de Jesús Méndez Vargas (born 28 February 1974), commonly referred to by his alias El Chango ("The Ape"), is a Mexican drug lord and former leader of the now disbanded La Familia drug cartel, headquartered in the state of Michoacán. M ...

,''La Familia drug cartel defeated, says Mexico.''
Sara Miller Llana. The Christian Science Monitor. Boston, Massachusetts. 22 June 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2011. a.k.a. "El Chango", brought the total to twenty-one captured or killed. On 4 November 2011, Francisco Hernández García was captured. A leader of the Zetas drug cartel, Raúl Hernández Lechuga was captured on 12 December 2011. On 26 September 2012,

Iván Velázquez Caballero Iván Velázquez Caballero (born February 10, 1970), also known by his alias El Talibán, is a Mexican convicted drug lord of the criminal group known as Los Zetas. The government of Mexico listed Velázquez Caballero in 2009 as one of its 37 ...

was captured by Mexican security forces.''Mexico Zetas drug lord Ivan Velazquez Caballero captured, police say: One of Mexico's most wanted drugs traffickers has been arrested, security forces say.''
BBC News. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2012. The 7 October 2012 killing of Heriberto Lazcano brought this total to 25 captured or killed so far. On 15 July 2013,

Miguel Treviño Morales Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales (born 18 November 1970), commonly referred to by his alias ''Z-40'', is a Mexican former drug lord and leader of the criminal organization known as Los Zetas. Considered a violent, resentful and dangerous crimin ...

was apprehended by the Mexican Marines in a town called Anáhuac, Nuevo León, near the border of the state of Tamaulipas,. Then, the 27 January 2014 apprehension of

Dionisio Loya Plancarte Dionisio Loya Plancarte (born 21 October 1955) is a Mexican drug lord and high-ranking leader of the Knights Templar Cartel, a quasi-religious criminal organization based in the state of Michoacán. He is the uncle of Enrique Plancarte Solís ...

,''Mexico nabs cartel leader Dionicio Loya Plancarte: The drug cartel leader had a $2.25 million reward on his head from the Mexican government.''
USA Today. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2014. a.k.a. "El Tío" left the Mexican government with 10 fugitives still on the loose. On 23 June 2014,

Fernando Sánchez Arellano Fernando is a Spanish and Portuguese given name and a surname common in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Switzerland, former Spanish or Portuguese colonies in Latin America, Africa, the Philippines, India, and Sri Lanka. It is equivalent to the G ...

was arrested by soldiers of the Mexican Army and federal agents of the

Procuraduría General de la República The Attorney General of the Republic is the head of the Attorney General's Office (''Fiscalía General de la República, FGR''; prior to 2019, ''Procuraduría General de la República, PGR'') and the Federal Public Ministry of the United Mexic ...

(PGR) at the La Mesa borough of

Tijuana Tijuana ( ,"Tijuana"
(US) and < ...

Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...

. On 1 October 2014

Héctor Beltrán Leyva Héctor Manuel Beltrán Leyva (15 February 1962 – 18 November 2018) was a Mexican drug lord and leader of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel, a drug-trafficking organization. He was the brother of Arturo Beltrán Leyva (deceased), former leader o ...

was arrested by the Mexican Army inside a restaurant in

San Miguel de Allende San Miguel de Allende () is the principal city in the municipality of San Miguel de Allende, located in the far eastern part of Guanajuato, Mexico. A part of the Bajío region, the city lies from Mexico City, 86 km (53 mi) from Queré ...

, Guanajuato. On 9 October 2014, Vicente Carrillo Fuentes was arrested by Mexican authorities in Torreón (Coahuila). On 27 February 2015,

Servando Gómez Martínez Servando Gómez Martínez (born February 6, 1966), commonly referred to by his alias La Tuta (The Teacher) for once being a teacher, is a Mexican drug lord and former leader of the Knights Templar Cartel, a criminal organization based in the sta ...

, the leader of the

Knights Templar cartel The Knights Templar Cartel (Spanish: ''Los Caballeros Templarios'') was a Mexican criminal organization originally composed of the remnants of La Familia Michoacana drug cartel based in the Mexican State of Michoacán. The Knights Templar Ca ...

, was arrested by Mexican security forces in

Morelia Morelia (; from 1545 to 1828 known as Valladolid) is a city and municipal seat of the municipality of Morelia in the north-central part of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. The city is in the Guayangareo Valley and is the capital and lar ...

, Michoacán. On 4 March 2015,

Omar Treviño Morales Óscar Omar Treviño Morales (born January 26, 1974) is a Mexican convicted drug lord and former leader of Los Zetas, a criminal organization. He was one of Mexico's most-wanted drug lords. His brother is Miguel Treviño Morales, a former lead ...

was captured inside a residence in Fuentes del Valle, an upper-class neighborhood in

San Pedro Garza García San Pedro Garza García ''(''also known as San Pedro or Garza García'')'' is a city-municipality of the Mexican state of Nuevo León and part of the Monterrey Metropolitan area. It is a contemporary commercial suburb of the larger metropolitan c ...

, Nuevo León, by the Federal Police and the Mexican Army. On 8 January 2016, Mexican Marines captured

after a heavy firefight in the city of

Los Mochis Los Mochis () is a coastal city in northern Sinaloa, Mexico. It serves as the municipal seat of the municipality of Ahome. As of the 2010 census, the population was 362,613, which was 61 percent of the municipality's population. Los Mochis is th ...

, Sinaloa, bringing the total captured or killed to 33.

Grouped by drug cartels

Mexico offers up to 30 million

pesos The peso is the monetary unit of several countries in the Americas, and the Philippines. Originating in the Spanish Empire, the word translates to "weight". In most countries the peso uses the same sign, "$", as many currencies named "dollar" ...

(about 1.45 million U.S. dollars in 2021) for each of the following:

Beltrán-Leyva Cartel

* Arturo Beltrán Leyva, a.k.a. "Jefe de Jefes", "El Barbas",''Perfil de Arturo Beltrán Leyva: La Muerte, El Barbas o El Botas Blancas, como también se le conocía, se convirtió en el líder del cártel de Sinaloa y aparecía en la lista de los narcotraficantes más buscados del mundo.''
El Universal. Mexico City, Mexico. 16 December 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2012. "El Botas Blancas", "La Muerte" – Killed on 16 December 2009''Mexican Cartel Boss Killed in Huge Raid.''
CBS News. 17 December 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2012. *

, a.k.a. "El Ingeniero",''Narcotics Rewards Program: Hector Beltran-Leyva.''
U.S. Department of State. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. Retrieved 7 March 2012. "El H", "El General" – Captured on 1 October 2014 – Died on 18 November 2018 *

Sergio Villarreal Barragán Sergio Enrique Villarreal Barragán, a.k.a. El Grande, (b. September 21, 1969), is a Mexican former federal police officer who then worked as a lieutenant for Arturo Beltrán Leyva of the criminal organization called the Beltrán Leyva Cartel. ...

, a.k.a. "El Grande"''Sergio Villarreal Barragan: Capture of “El Grande” helps Mexico's president''
Sara Miller Llana. Christian Science Monitor. 13 September 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2012. "Comeniños",
María de la Luz González. El Universal. 13 September 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2012. King Kong – Captured on 13 September 2010 *

Edgar Valdez Villarreal Edgar Valdez Villarreal (born August 11, 1973), also known as La Barbie ("The Barbie"), is a Mexican-American former drug lord and high-ranking lieutenant of the now-disbanded Beltrán Leyva Cartel. Valdez is serving a 49-year prison sentence ...

, a.k.a. "La Barbie",''Narcotics Rewards Program: Edgar Valdez-Villarreal.''
U.S. Department of State. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. Retrieved 7 March 2012. "El Comandante", "El Güero" – Captured on 31 August 2010

La Familia Michoacana La Familia Michoacana, (English: ''The Michoacán Family'') La Familia (English: ''The Family''), or LFM is a Mexican drug cartel and organized crime syndicate based in the Mexican state of Michoacán. They are known to produce large amounts o ...
/
Knights Templar Cartel The Knights Templar Cartel (Spanish: ''Los Caballeros Templarios'') was a Mexican criminal organization originally composed of the remnants of La Familia Michoacana drug cartel based in the Mexican State of Michoacán. The Knights Templar Ca ...

* Nazario Moreno González, a.k.a. "El Chayo",''Perfil Nazario Moreno González, el adoctrinador: El Chayo, El doctor o El más loco compartía el liderazgo de La Familia Michoacana con José de Jesús Méndez Vargas alias El Chango.''
Mexico City, Mexico. 10 December 2010. El Universal. Retrieved 7 March 2012. "El Doctor", "El Más Loco" – Killed on 9 March 2014 *

, a.k.a. "El Profe",''“La Tuta” cobra como maestro: Servando Gómez tiene una plaza de docente y en el primer trimestre de 2010 recibió ingresos brutos por 51 mil 811 pesos. En los detalles de su ficha en la página de la SEP, se informa que Gómez Martínez no tiene un perfíl académico pero cuenta con 15 años de servicio.''
8 December 2010. El Universal. Mexico City, Mexico. Retrieved 7 March 2012. "La Tuta" – Captured on 27 February 2015 *

, a.k.a. "El Chango" – Captured on 21 June 2011 *

, a.k.a. "El Tío" – Captured on 27 January 2014

Gulf Cartel

* Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sánchez, a.k.a. "El Coss"''“El Coss”, nuevo “amo” del grupo.''
Francisco Gómez. El Universal. 8 November 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2012. – Captured on 12 September 2012 * Ezequiel Cárdenas Guillén, a.k.a. "Tony Tormenta" – Killed on 5 November 2010 * Sigifredo Nájera Talamantes, a.k.a. "El Canicón" – Captured on 23 March 2009 – Died on 7 September 2015 * Sergio Enrique Ruiz Tlapanco, a.k.a. "El Tlapa" – Captured on 8 September 2009

Juárez Cartel The Juárez Cartel (Spanish: ''Cártel de Juárez''), also known as the Vicente Carrillo Fuentes Organization, is a Mexican drug cartel based in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, across the Mexico—U.S. border from El Paso, Texas. The cartel is one of ...

* Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, a.k.a. "El Viceroy",''Top Mexican drug cartel suspect arrested, officials say.''
CNN. 2 April 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2012. "El General" – Captured on 9 October 2014 *

Vicente Carrillo Leyva Vicente Carrillo Leyva (born 19 July 1976) is a Mexican drug lord and a leader in the Juárez Cartel. Capture He was arrested by Mexican police on 2 April 2009, but subsequently acquitted of money laundering charges, though charges of illegal p ...

, a.k.a. "El Ingeniero" – Captured on 3 April 2009 * Juan Pablo Ledezma, a.k.a. "El JL".

Sinaloa Cartel The Sinaloa Cartel ( es, link=no, Cártel de Sinaloa), also known as the CDS, the Guzmán-Loera Organization, the Pacific Cartel, the Federation and the Blood Alliance, is a large, international organized crime syndicate that specializes in il ...

, a.k.a. "El Chapo" – Captured on 22 February 2014 – Escaped on 11 July 2015 – Recaptured on 8 January 2016 * Ismael Zambada García, a.k.a. "El Mayo", "El M-Z",''“El Mayo” dice que Calderón perderá la guerra antinarco.''
El Informador. 4 April 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2012. "El Padrino" * Ignacio Coronel Villarreal, a.k.a. "El Nacho" – Killed on 29 July 2010 *

Juan José Esparragoza Moreno Juan José Esparragoza Moreno (born February 3, 1949), commonly referred to by his alias El Azul ( English: "The Blue One"), was a Mexican drug lord and leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, a drug trafficking organization. Originally a member of the Dir ...

, a.k.a. "El Azul" – Allegedly died on 7 June 2014 *

Vicente Zambada Niebla Jesús Vicente Zambada Niebla (born 24 March 1975), also known as "El Vicentillo", is a Mexican convicted drug lord and former high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel, a criminal group based in Sinaloa. He is the son of Ismael "El Mayo" Zamba ...

, a.k.a. "El Vicentillo" – Captured on 19 March 2009

Tijuana Cartel The Tijuana Cartel (Spanish: ''Cártel de Tijuana'') or Arellano-Félix-Organization (Spanish: ''Organización Arellano Félix'', AFO) is a Mexican drug cartel based in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Founded by the Arellano-Félix family, the ...

* Teodoro García Simental, a.k.a. "El Teo", "El Lalo",''El fiscal de la SIEDO obtuvo nuevo auto de formal prision contra Teodoro Garcia Simental, alias "El Teo".''
Procuraduria General de la Republica. Mexico City, Mexico. 6 March 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2012. "El Alamo", "El K-1",
El Universal. Mexico City, Mexico. 12 January 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2012. "El Tres Letras" – Captured on 12 January 2010Mexican drug lord Teodoro Garcia Simental, known for his savagery, is captured
(12 January 2010) *

, a.k.a. "El Ingeniero", "El Alineador" – Captured on 23 June 2014

Los Zetas Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscr ...

Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano (25 December 1974 – 7 October 2012), commonly referred to by his aliases Z-3 and El Lazca, was a Mexican drug lord and the leader of Los Zetas drug cartel. He was one of the most-wanted Mexican drug lords. Lazcano ...

, a.k.a. "El Lazca", "Z-3",''Top 10 Notorious Mexican Drug Lords.''
TIME. 22 June 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2012. "El Verdugo"
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Retrieved 8 March 2012. (English: "The Executioner"), "El Bronce", "El Pitirijas", "Licenciado" – Killed on 7 October 2012
CNN. 9 October 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2012. * Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales, a.k.a. "L40" ("40", "Cuarenta", "L-40", "Comandante 40") – Captured on 15 July 2013 *

, a.k.a. "L-42" – Captured on 4 March 2015 *

, a.k.a. "El Talibán", "L-50" – Captured on 26 September 2012 * Gregorio Sauceda Gamboa, a.k.a. "El Goyo", "Metro-2", "Caramuela" – Captured on 30 April 2009''Atrapan en Chihuahua a Francisco Hernández García, alias "El 2000".''
8 November 2011. * Alberto Pineda Villa, a.k.a. "El Borrado" – Killed on 12 September 2009 * Marco Antonio Pineda Villa, a.k.a. "El MP" – Killed on 12 September 2009''Despliegan autoridades municipales, estatales y federales un operativo en la Procuraduría.''
El Diario de Morelos. 14 September 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2011. * Héctor Huerta Ríos, a.k.a. "La Burra", "El Junior" – Captured on 25 March 2009 – Killed on 4 July 2019 * Ricardo Almanza Morales, a.k.a. "El Gori I"''Se Buscan.''
Alfredo Méndez. La Jornada. Mexico City, Mexico. 24 March 2009. p. 4. Retrieved 10 March 2012. – Killed on 4 December 2009
Catherine E. Shoichet (Associated Press). Seattle Times. Seattle, WA. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 11 March 2012. * Eduardo Almanza Morales, a.k.a. "El Gori II" * Raymundo Almanza Morales, a.k.a. "El Gori III" – Captured on 22 May 2009''Cae operador del cártel del Golfo en Monterrey: Raymundo Almanza Morales, alias "El Gori", uno de los principales lugartenientes del cártel del Golfo, fue detenido en Monterrey, Nuevo León, informó la Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional (Sedena).''
Nubia Maya. El Universal. 22 May 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2012. * Flavio Méndez Santiago, a.k.a. "El Amarillo" – Captured on 18 January 2011NPR News
''Mexico announces capture of one of the founders of Los Zetas.''
CNN News. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2012. * Sergio Peña Solís, a.k.a. "El Concord", "El Colosio" – Captured on 14 March 2009''La Policía Federal captura a Sergio Peña Mendoza, alias “El Concord” presunto operador de “Los Zetas” en Reynosa.''
Secretaría de Seguridad Pública. Mexico City, Mexico. Press Release 120/09. 14 March 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2012. * Raúl Lucio Hernández Lechuga, a.k.a. "El Lucky" – Captured 12 December 2011

Sortable table

References

External links

''Original Rewards Press Release by PROCURADURIA GENERAL DE LA REPUBLICA, dated 23 March 2009.''Mug shots and bio of Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mexico's 33 most wanted drug lords Sinaloa Cartel traffickers Organized crime-related lists Mexico Mexican drug war Mexican drug traffickers Mexican money launderers Mexican crime bosses Most wanted lists Mexico crime-related lists