List of Mexico's 37 most-wanted drug lords (2009)

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 Mexico report, the 37 drug lords "have jeopardized Mexico 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 pesos 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 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. 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. "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 captured Joaquín Guzmán Loera after a heavy firefight in the city of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, bringing the total captured or killed to 33.
==Grouped by drug cartels==
Mexico offers up to 30 million pesos (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 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
* 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 3 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"
* 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 (Gunshot wound)
===Los Zetas===
* Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano, a.k.a. "El Lazca",Gunfight kills 2 in Mexico border city. USA Today. 18 June 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2012. "Z-3",Top 10 Notorious Mexican Drug Lords. TIME. 22 June 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2012. "El Verdugo"DEA Fugitive: LAZCANO-LAZCANO, HERIBERTO. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Retrieved 8 March 2012. (English: "The Executioner"), "El Bronce", "El Pitirijas", "Licenciado" – Killed on 7 October 2012Mexico confirms death of feared Zetas cartel leader CNN. 9 October 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
* Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales, a.k.a. "Z-40" ("40", "Cuarenta", "Comandante 40")Alleged Mexican Cartel Leaders, Associates Targeted in Newest Effort to Combat Drug Trafficking Organizations. U.S. Department of Justice. 20 July 2009. Retrieved 11 March 2012. – Captured on 15 July 2013
* Omar Treviño Morales, a.k.a. "Z-42" – Captured on 4 March 2015
* Iván Velázquez Caballero, a.k.a. "El Talibán","Barbie": Brutal Mexican Cartel Hit Man. CBS News. 23 July 2009. Retrieved 11 March 2012. "Z-50"El Fiscal de la SIEDO Obtiene Arraigo por 40 Dias: Contra presuntos integrantes de "Los Zetas" detenidos en Fresnillo, Zacatecas. 18 Noviembre 2009. Retrieved 12 March 2012. – Captured on 26 September 2012
* Gregorio Sauceda Gamboa, a.k.a. "El Goyo",Detiene la Policia Federal a Gregorio Sauceda Gamboa, alias "El Goyo" y/o "El Caramuela, presunto integrante del Cartel del Golfo en Tamaulipas. Office of the President. Federal Government of Mexico. 2009. Retrieved 20 March 2012. "Metro-2", "Caramuela" – Captured on 30 April 2009Atrapan 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 2009Despliegan 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 2009Shootouts in northern Mexico kill 13 after raid: A pair of shootouts between troops and gunmen in northern Mexico have killed 13 people, including a bystander and a drug trafficker linked to the killing of a retired army officer. 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 2009Cae 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 2009La 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==
No.	Cartel 	Name 	Alias 	Reward (Mexican pesos)	Status 	Date of status 	
1 	Beltrán-Leyva 	Arturo Beltrán Leyva 	El Barbas 	$30M 	Killed 	16 December 2009 	
2 	Beltrán-Leyva 	Héctor Beltrán Leyva 	El General 	$30M 	Captured 	1 October 2014 	
3 	Beltrán-Leyva 	Sergio Villarreal Barragán 	El Grande 	$30M 	Captured 	13 September 2010 	
4 	Beltrán-Leyva 	Edgar Valdez Villarreal 	La Barbie 	$30M 	Captured 	31 August 2010 	
5 	Beltrán-Leyva 	Francisco Hernández García 	El 2000 	$15M 	Captured 	4 November 2011 	
6 	Beltrán-Leyva 	Alberto Pineda Villa 	El Borrado 	$15M 	Killed 	12 September 2009 	
7 	Beltrán-Leyva 	Marco Antonio Pineda Villa 	El MP 	$15M 	Killed 	12 September 2009 	
8 	Beltrán-Leyva 	Héctor Huerta Ríos 	La Burra 	$15M 	Captured 	25 March 2009 	
9 	La Familia Michoacana	Nazario Moreno González 	El Chayo 	$30M 	Killed 	9 March 2014 	
10 	La Familia Michoacana	Servando Gómez Martínez 	La Tuta 	$30M 	Captured 	27 February 2015 	
11 	La Familia Michoacana	José de Jesús Méndez Vargas 	El Chango 	$30M 	Captured 	21 June 2011 	
12 	La Familia Michoacana	Dionisio Loya Plancarte 	El Tío 	$30M 	Captured 	27 January 2014 	
13 	Los Zetas 	Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano 	Z-3 	$30M 	Killed 	7 October 2012 	
14 	Gulf Cartel 	Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sánchez	El Coss 	$30M 	Captured 	12 September 2012 	
15 	Gulf Cartel 	Ezequiel Cárdenas Guillén 	Tony Tormenta 	$30M 	Killed 	5 November 2010 	
16 	Los Zetas 	Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales 	Z-40 	$30M 	Captured 	15 July 2013 	
17 	Los Zetas 	Omar Treviño Morales 	L-42 	$30M 	Captured 	4 March 2015 	
18 	Los Zetas 	Iván Velázquez Caballero 	L-50 	$30M 	Captured 	26 September 2012Detienen en SLP a “El Talibán”: Iván Velázquez Caballero, integrante de un grupo de la delincuencia organizada fue capturado este miércoles. Ignacio Alzaga. Milenio. Grupo Milenio. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2012.	
19 	Los Zetas 	Gregorio Sauceda Gamboa 	El Goyo 	$30M 	Captured 	30 April 2009 	
20 	Gulf Cartel 	Sigifredo Nájera Talamantes 	El Canicón 	$15M 	Captured 	23 March 2009 	
21 	Los Zetas 	Ricardo Almanza Morales 	El Gori I 	$15M 	Killed 	4 December 2009 	
22 	Los Zetas 	Eduardo Almanza Morales 	El Gori II 	$15M 	Allegedly dead 	4 December 2009Cinco de los 37 más buscados estuvieron en filas del Ejército. Daniel Venegas. Millenio. 11 November 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2020. 	
23 	Los Zetas 	Raymundo Almanza Morales 	El Gori III 	$15M 	Captured 	22 May 2009 	
24 	Los Zetas 	Flavio Méndez Santiago 	El Amarillo 	$15M 	Captured 	18 January 2011 	
25 	Los Zetas 	Sergio Peña Solís 	El Concord 	$15M 	Captured 	14 March 2009 	
26 	Los Zetas 	Raúl Lucio Hernández Lechuga 	El Lucky 	$15M 	Captured 	12 December 2011 	
27 	Gulf Cartel 	Sergio Enrique Ruiz Tlapanco 	El Tlapa 	$15M 	Captured 	8 September 2009 	
28 	Juárez Cartel 	Vicente Carrillo Fuentes 	El Viceroy 	$30M 	Captured 	9 October 2014 	
29 	Juárez Cartel 	Vicente Carrillo Leyva 	El Ingeniero 	$30M 	Captured 	3 March 2009 	
30 	Juárez Cartel 	Juan Pablo Ledezma 	El JL 	$15M 	Disputed (Reportedly Killed or Fugitive)	No longer reported as La Linea leader
La Jornada Agreden a reporteros. (In spanish)Agreden en Juárez a 3 reporteros (in Spanish)El Cártel de Juárez opera en 17 estados (in Spanish) by 2020 	Bounty for his death was offered by El Chapo.
31 	Sinaloa Cartel 	Joaquín Guzmán Loera 	El Chapo 	$30M 	Recaptured 	18 January 2016 	
32 	Sinaloa Cartel 	Ismael Zambada García 	El Mayo Zambada 	$30M 	Fugitive 	– 	
33 	Sinaloa Cartel 	Ignacio Coronel Villarreal 	El Nacho Coronel	$30M 	Killed 	29 July 2010 	
34 	Sinaloa Cartel 	Juan José Esparragoza Moreno 	El Azul 	$30M 	Allegedly dead 	7 June 2014 	
35 	Sinaloa Cartel 	Vicente Zambada Niebla 	El Vicentillo 	$30M 	Captured 	19 March 2009 	
36 	Tijuana Cartel 	Teodoro García Simental 	El Teo 	$30M 	Captured 	12 January 2010 	
37 	Tijuana Cartel 	Fernando Sánchez Arellano 	El Ingeniero 	$30M 	Captured 	23 June 2014 	
==See also==
* List of fugitives from justice who disappeared
* Mexican Drug War
* Timeline of the Mexican Drug War
Policing
* Rurales
* Federales
* Grupo de Operaciones Especiales (Mexico)
* Mérida Initiative
* Attorney General of Mexico (Procuraduría General de la República)
General
* Crime in Mexico
* The World's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives
==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
Category:Sinaloa Cartel traffickers
Category:Organized crime-related lists
 
 Mexico
Category:Mexican drug war
Category:Mexican drug traffickers
Category:Mexican money launderers
Category:Mexican crime bosses
Category:Most wanted lists
Category:Mexico crime-related lists