On 23 March 2009, federal authorities in Mexico published a list of the country's most-wanted drug lords. According to a BBC Mundo Mexico report, the 37 people listed "have jeopardized Mexico national security."
This list of drug lords is grouped by their associated cartels. , Mexico had offered up to 30million pesos (about US$million today) 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.LOS NARCOS MÁS BUSCADOS: La Procuraduría General de la República (PGR) ofreció recompensas millonarias por 37 líderes y lugartenientes del narcotráfico, en 2009. El Universal Online. Mexico City, Mexico. Retrieved 10 March 2012. The United States also offers rewards for two of them.
The most-wanted of the 37 drug lords was Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera, for whom Mexican and U.S. governments offered a total bounty of US$7 million.La lista de los más buscados se reduce en México con los arrestos y la muerte de miembros de los cárteles. Maja Wallengren. Revista Agora. United States Northern Command. Retrieved 11 March 2012. He was captured on 22 February 2014 in Mazatlán, 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 following a gun battle on 8 January 2016.
Chronology
As of 18 January 2011, Mexico had captured or killed 20 of the 37 in the most-wanted list. "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,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 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 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,Mexico nabs cartel leader Dionicio Loya Plancarte: The drug cartel leader had a $2.25 million reward on his head from the Mexican government. USA Today. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2014. a.k.a. "El Tío" left the Mexican government with 10 fugitives still on the loose. On 23 June 2014, Fernando Sánchez Arellano was arrested by soldiers of the Mexican Army and federal agents of the Procuraduría General de la República (PGR) at the La Mesa borough of Tijuana, Baja California. On 1 October 2014 Héctor Beltrán Leyva was arrested by the Mexican Army inside a restaurant in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato. On 9 October 2014, Vicente Carrillo Fuentes was arrested by Mexican authorities in Torreón (Coahuila). On 27 February 2015, Servando Gómez Martínez, the leader of the Knights Templar cartel, was arrested by Mexican security forces in Morelia, Michoacán.Servando 'La Tuta' Gomez, Mexico's Most Wanted Drug Lord, Captured. Raul Torres (Reuters) and Erin McClam (Reuters). NBC News. Retrieved 28 February 2015. On 4 March 2015, Omar Treviño Morales was captured inside a residence in Fuentes del Valle, an upper-class neighborhood in San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León, by the Federal Police and the Mexican Army. On 8 January 2016, Mexican Marines recaptured Joaquín Guzmán Loera after a heavy firefight in the city of Los Mochis, Sinaloa. On 25 July 2024, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, the last remaining drug lord yet to be arrested, incarcerated, or killed, surrendered to U.S. authorities, bringing the total captured or killed to 34.
Grouped by drug cartels The list of wanted individuals Mexican authorities offered 30million pesos for in 2009 (equivalent to about US$million today) breaks down as follows:
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 2009Mexican Cartel Boss Killed in Huge Raid. CBS News. 17 December 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2012. Héctor Beltrán Leyva, 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 Héctor Huerta Ríos, a.k.a. "La Burra," "El Junior" – Captured on 25 March 2009 – Killed on 4 July 2019 Sergio Villarreal Barragán, 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,"Un “King Kong 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, 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.In Mexico, skepticism that arrest of Edgar Valdez Villarreal – 'La Barbie' – will stem drug trade: Mexican officials arrested Edgar Valdez Villarreal – known as 'La Barbie' – an alleged senior leader in a drug trafficking cartel. That's good news for President Calderón, but there's skepticism it will make a dent in growing drug violence. Sara Miller Llana. The Christian Science Monitor. 31 August 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2012. "El Comandante", "El Güero" – Captured on 31 August 2010
La Familia Michoacana/Knights Templar Cartel 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.Nazario Moreno, 'El Chayo', un criminal en nombre de la justicia divina: El gobierno mexicano dice que era indocumentado en EU, traficante de drogas, líder espiritual y uno de los jefes de 'La Familia Michoacana'. CNN Mexico. Retrieved 7 March 2012. "El Doctor," "El Más Loco" – Killed on 9 March 2014 Servando Gómez Martínez, 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 José de Jesús Méndez Vargas, a.k.a. "El Chango"Policía detiene a Jesús Méndez 'El Chango', presunto líder de 'La Familia': El gobierno mexicano dijo que la captura de Jesús Méndez, 'El Chango', "destruye" la estructura de mando de la organización criminal. CNN Mexico. 21 June 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2012. – Captured on 21 June 2011 Dionisio Loya Plancarte, a.k.a. "El Tío"Asesora fue señalada como pareja de “El Tío”: Su cercanía con el gobernador Leonel Godoy Rangel hizo de la maestra en derecho la figura de mayor relevancia contra la que se actuó en el operativo. El Universal. 26 May 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2012. – 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 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, a.k.a. "El Ingeniero"Cayó Vicente Carrillo Leyva, capo del Cartel de Juárez. Univison. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2012. – Captured on 1 April 2009 Juan Pablo Ledezma, a.k.a. "El JL"
Sinaloa Cartel Joaquín Guzmán Loera, 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,"LILIANA.Madera county. SinaloaenseDetienen al hijo de El Mayo Zambada: Vicente Zambada Niebla, alias El Vicentillo, fue presentado esta mañana junto a cinco personas más. La detención se logró el miércoles en Jardines del Pedregal. María de la Luz González. El Universal. Mexico City, Mexico. 19 March 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2012. "El M-Z,"“El Mayo” dice que Calderón perderá la guerra antinarco. El Informador. 4 April 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2012. "El Padrino" – Captured on 25 July 2024 Ignacio Coronel Villarreal, a.k.a. "El Nacho"Muere abatido 'Nacho' Coronel: El líder del cártel de Sinaloa murió en medio de un enfrentamiento con elementos del Ejército tras un operativo en un fraccionamiento residencial de Zapopan. El Universal. Mexico City, Mexico. 29 July 2010. El Universal. – Killed on 29 July 2010 Juan José Esparragoza Moreno, a.k.a. "El Azul"Wanted by the FBI: JUAN JOSE ESPARRAGOZA-MORENO. FBI. Retrieved 7 March 2012. – Allegedly died on 7 June 2014 Vicente Zambada Niebla, a.k.a. "El Vicentillo"DEA officials deny they promised drug kingpin immunity. Natasha Korecki. 9 September 2011. Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 7 March 2012. – Captured on 19 March 2009
Tijuana Cartel Teodoro García Simental, a.k.a. "El Teo,"Cops nab infamous Mexican drug lord Teodoro (El Teo) Garcia Simental; dissolved 300 people in acid. Helen Kennedy. New York Daily News. New York, New York. 12 January 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2012. "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," Detiene Policía Federal a El Teo en BCS El Universal. Mexico City, Mexico. 12 January 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2012. "El Tres Letras"Officials: Mexican drug kingpin captured: Alleged Drug Lord Bio. USA Today, 12 January 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2012. – Captured on 12 January 2010Mexican drug lord Teodoro Garcia Simental, known for his savagery, is captured (12 January 2010) Fernando Sánchez Arellano, a.k.a. "El Ingeniero,"Top 10 Notorious Mexican Drug Lords: Luis Fernando Sánchez Arellano. By Ioan Grillo. TIME. 22 June 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2012. "El Alineador" – Captured on 23 June 2014 Benjamín Arellano Félix a.k.a. "El Min," – Captured on 9 March 2002 Ramón Arellano Félix a.k.a. "El Commandante Món" "Món" "Colores" – Killed on 10 February 2002