In a significant blow to the international fentanyl trade, Mexican naval forces have killed one of the country's most wanted drug lords during a major security operation.
Key Cartel Figure Neutralised in Firefight
Pedro Inzunza Coronel, known by the alias 'El Pichón' (The Pigeon), was fatally shot on Sunday after he opened fire on Mexican navy personnel. The operation took place in the north-western state of Sinaloa, a historic stronghold of the country's drug cartels.
Mexico's security secretary, Omar García Harfuch, confirmed the death on social media platform X. He stated that two other members of the criminal cell were detained during the confrontation.
Coronel, alongside his father Pedro Inzunza Noriega, was considered one of Mexico's principal fentanyl traffickers. US authorities allege the duo were responsible for importing tens of thousands of kilograms of the deadly synthetic opioid into the United States.
A Global Narco-Terrorism Indictment
The father and son were the subjects of a landmark US Department of Justice indictment in May. They faced charges of narco-terrorism, conspiracy to distribute drugs, and money laundering.
According to the US attorney's office for the southern district of California, it was the first such narco-terrorism charge in the nation. Prosecutors accused them of leading "one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world."
Their criminal enterprise was linked to the Beltran Leyva Organization, a once-dominant and notoriously violent faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. Although the main organisation is now considered defunct, its splinter groups remain active across Mexico.
Major Seizures and International Manhunts
The significance of this cell was underscored last year when Mexican authorities raided their operations. The raids resulted in the seizure of more than 1.65 tons of fentanyl, recorded as the largest single seizure of the drug globally at that time.
Coronel was reportedly the right-hand man to Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, alias 'El Chapo Isidro', who leads the Guasave Cartel splinter group. Meza Flores himself was added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitive List in February 2024, highlighting the international reach of these networks.
Sunday's raid also led to the discovery of several drug laboratories. Authorities confiscated weapons, vehicles, narcotics, and the chemical precursors used to manufacture synthetic drugs.
Transatlantic Cooperation Against Drug Trafficking
The operation has been hailed as a victory for cross-border security cooperation. The US ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, publicly celebrated the outcome on social media.
Johnson noted that Coronel was accused of a litany of violent crimes beyond drug trafficking, including murders, kidnappings, and torture. "These results reflect what our nations can achieve when they work together against those who pose a threat to our citizens," the ambassador wrote.
This high-profile takedown occurs amidst intense pressure from the United States for Mexico to intensify its efforts against the fentanyl producers and traffickers responsible for fueling a devastating overdose epidemic north of the border.
