The New York Times published a report in which three alleged operators for the Sinaloa Cartel describe the protection network built over the years within police forces and different levels of government.
According to the investigation, members of the criminal organization claimed that municipal and state police officers in Sinaloa regularly collaborated with the group, carrying out targeted arrests against rivals, leaking information about military operations, and even directly participating in cartel activities.
Testimonies from three individuals linked to Los Chapitos and one tied to the Los Mayos faction detail the protection mechanisms they allegedly received from authorities at different levels of government for years.
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One of the operators interviewed claimed that the level of protection they received from authorities was so extensive that “you felt like Rambo or John Wick,” after describing how police officers and officials allegedly shared information about checkpoints, military operations, and rival groups’ movements.
They described a protection structure that allowed the criminal group to operate with relative freedom in Sinaloa, particularly in Culiacán. One of the interviewees said police officers and officials shared information about checkpoints, federal force movements, and safe routes for transporting drugs and weapons.
The report states that some police officers allegedly handed rivals directly over to cartel members. One operator claimed they received the names of people considered traitors, debtors, or suspected informants so police forces could locate them and later turn them over to the criminal organization. One testimony even alleges that cartel members took part in official operations while dressed in police uniforms.
The publication also describes alleged levels of infiltration in different public spaces. One operator recounted that, about two years ago, he received information from the airport regarding the location of a person sought by the organization. According to his account, after arriving at the scene he was briefly detained by soldiers but was allowed to continue after mentioning the name “La Chapiza.” The interviewee said that was the moment he realized “how far” the protection for the criminal group extended.
Another account included in the Times report alleges that state police officers helped a cartel member escape after he became trapped during a confrontation with the military. In addition, one operator described how they used exclusive phones to share information between cartel members and police agents regarding streets to avoid, rival group movements, and the location of military checkpoints.
The report argues that this alleged network of collaboration allowed the Sinaloa Cartel to consolidate itself as one of the most powerful criminal organizations in the world, particularly in fentanyl trafficking into the United States. The investigation adds that, despite the arrests of leaders and internal disputes within the criminal organization, the protection structure allegedly continued operating for years.
The article also mentions charges filed in the United States against several Mexican officials, including former Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya, who is accused of having ties to Los Chapitos in exchange for bribes and political support.
The Times investigation was published one day after two former Sinaloa officials surrendered to U.S. authorities. One of them reportedly attempted to negotiate as a protected witness.
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