Capture of «El Sagitario» in Sinaloa, Leader of the Beltrán Leyva Criminal Organization, a Cartel Accused of Narco-Terrorism Under U.S. Laws
Mexican authorities detained Pedro Inzunza Noriega, known as «El Sagitario» or «El Señor de la Silla», on December 31, 2025, in Culiacán, Sinaloa. He is a presumed high-ranking member of the Beltrán Leyva criminal organization, linked to the Sinaloa Cartel.
This capture represents the first case in history where the United States applies anti-terrorism legislation against a member of a Mexican cartel, marking a hardening in the legal strategy driven by the Trump administration to combat the flow of synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, which has wreaked havoc on American communities.
Inzunza Noriega, aged 58, was arrested during a joint operation by the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar), the Army, and the National Guard, which involved helicopters, armored vehicles, and blockades in the urban area of Culiacán.
Three other individuals, identified as operators of the same network, were captured along with him, and firearms, magazines, and vehicles were seized.
Ayer le cayó la Marina y la SSPC a Pedro Inzunza Noriega, ‘El Sagitario’. Formaba parte del Cártel de Guasave, liderado por ‘El Chapo Isidro’.
Las lacras se olvidan que en días como estos es cuando les avientan los operativos. Uno menos, directito a EEUU; será extraditado. pic.twitter.com/FDFixnCQyX— ar1zZ17 (@Ar1zZ17) January 1, 2026
Mexican authorities immediately transferred him to Mexico City to place him at the disposal of the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime (Femdo), where he faces charges for crimes against health and possession of weapons reserved exclusively for the Army.
The U.S. charges against Inzunza Noriega were filed in May 2025 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, accusing him of narco-terrorism, material support for terrorism, large-scale drug trafficking, and money laundering.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, he and his son Pedro Inzunza Coronel ran an industrial-scale operation for the production and distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, smuggling thousands of kilograms into U.S. territory over the years.
This terrorist designation is based on an executive order from Donald Trump in February 2025, which classified the Sinaloa Cartel as a foreign terrorist entity, allowing for minimum sentences of 20 years and up to life imprisonment.
Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized that this new legal approach seeks the maximum penalties to dismantle these networks, contrasting with the laxity of previous left-wing administrations that allowed the rise of fentanyl by not sufficiently pressuring Mexico or tightening the borders.Inzunza Noriega’s son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, alias «El Junior», died in November 2025 during a confrontation with naval forces in Sinaloa, where he resisted an armed search.
Previously, in December 2024, authorities raided properties controlled by the duo, seizing approximately 1,650 kilograms of fentanyl—the largest recovery of this drug recorded globally—along with chemical precursors and laboratory equipment.
This operation underscores the resurgence of factions like the Beltrán Leyva, which employ extreme violence—including murders, kidnappings, and physical coercion—to control smuggling routes in the Mexican Pacific.
Since his return to power in 2025, Trump has demanded greater anti-narcotics cooperation from Mexico, threatening trade sanctions if actions are not intensified.
Five other members of the network face similar charges in the U.S., and Inzunza Noriega’s extradition is expected so he can face justice across the border.
The complete absence of statements from President Claudia Sheinbaum regarding the detention of Pedro Inzunza Noriega, one of the largest fentanyl producers captured in years, is particularly revealing in a context where her government has repeatedly insisted that “there is no longer a war against drug trafficking” and that the strategy is based on “hugs, not bullets” inherited from her predecessor.
This stance, which according to her «prioritizes dialogue» and avoids direct confrontations with the cartels, contrasts sharply with the effective pressure exerted by the Trump administration, which through terrorist designations and threats of trade sanctions has achieved concrete results such as this historic capture and the world’s largest fentanyl seizure.
While the United States toughens its fight against the mass poisoning of its population, Sheinbaum’s silence reinforces the perception that Mexico, under the leadership of the Morena left, remains reluctant to undertake a frontal combat against the criminal organizations that control entire territories and export death on a massive scale.
About The Author
