Banners appeared on Monday in northern Mexico, allegedly signed by a faction of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, claiming that the gang has abandoned the sale and production of the synthetic opioid fentanyl. However, experts quickly raised doubts about the authenticity of the claim, asserting that fentanyl, which has caused numerous overdose deaths in the United States, remains one of the cartel’s most profitable ventures. Sinaloa prosecutors confirmed that the banners were found on overpasses and near roadways, but they couldn’t confirm their authenticity or identity of the individuals responsible for hanging them up.
The machine-printed banners, supposedly signed by the sons of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, state that they have banned the sale and production of fentanyl in the northern state of Sinaloa. These sons, known as “the Chapitos,” have taken after their notorious father. The banners read, “In Sinaloa, the sale, manufacture, transport, or any other business involving fentanyl is strictly prohibited, including the sale of chemicals used in its production. You have been warned. Respectfully, Chapitos.” Mike Vigil, former head of international operations for the Drug Enforcement Administration, stated that there is solid evidence that “Sinaloa is the biggest producer of fentanyl in Mexico” and that there have been no indications of the cartel withdrawing from the trade.
“I believe the Chapitos started feeling the pressure when the reward for their capture was increased. They are likely attempting to create a massive illusion to divert the pressure,” he commented. “It’s almost like a major campaign to convince the US that they are not involved. It’s nothing more than pure propaganda.” In September, Ovidio Guzmán López, one of the Chapitos, was extradited to the United States to face charges of drug trafficking, money laundering, and other crimes. Mexican security forces apprehended Guzmán López, also known as “the Mouse,” in January in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa state and the namesake of the cartel. In May, the Chapitos claimed in a letter that they were not involved in the fentanyl trade.
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“The strategy of the Sinaloa Cartel is to distance themselves from plant-based drugs” such as cocaine, marijuana, and heroin, Vigil explained. Giving up fentanyl “would essentially give the rival Jalisco gang the upper hand in terms of profitability.” In April, US prosecutors revealed how the Chapitos transitioned the cartel’s drug operations to synthetic drugs like meth and fentanyl. The indictment stated that their goal was to produce large quantities of fentanyl and sell it at the lowest possible price. Fentanyl is extremely cheap to manufacture, allowing the cartel to make massive profits even when wholesaling the drug at 50 cents per pill, according to prosecutors. The CDC estimates that there were approximately 109,680 overdose deaths in the US last year, with around 75,000 of them linked to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.
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