Los Pelones ("The Bald Ones") is an enforcer gang originally part of the Mexican drug trafficking organization known as the Sinaloa Cartel, headed by the drug lord Joaquín El Chapo Guzmán, Mexico's most-wanted man.[1][2]
| Founded | 2004 by Joaquín El Chapo Guzmán and the Beltrán Leyva brothers |
|---|---|
| Founding location | Guerrero, Mexico |
| Years active | 2004-present |
| Territory | Guerrero Morelos Quintana Roo |
| Ethnicity | Mexican |
| Activities | Drug trafficking, murder, extortion |
| Allies | Gulf Cartel |
Etymology
editLos Pelones literally means "The Bald Ones" in Spanish language; it symbolizes the "new soldiers" of the gang who shave their heads like military recruits.[3]
History
editThe gang originated in 2004 in the state of Guerrero, where it distributed narcotics throughout several touristic spots in the state.[1]
Beltrán-Leyva split and the Gulf Cartel alliance
editAfter the death of Arturo Beltrán Leyva they went independent. On December 27, 2012, the group announced that they had stopped operating independently and that now they are part of the "honorable" Gulf Cartel.[4] In June 2020, it was reported that Los Pelones was now an independent cartel due to the fragmentation of the Gulf Cartel.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Miranda, Hugo (14 September 2008). "Los 24 ejecutados pertenecerían a la banda de "Los Pelones"". La Prensa (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
- ^ Ibañez, Alfredo (8 October 2008). "Caen "Los Pelones" del Cártel de Sinaloa". Organización Editorial Mexicana (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
- ^ Burton, Fred (2 May 2007). "Mexico: The Price of Peace in the Cartel Wars". Stratfor. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
- ^ "En narcomantas anuncian supuesta anexión al cártel del Golfo". Diario de Quintana Roo (in Spanish). 27 December 2012. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
- ^ "Why the Jalisco Cartel Does Not Dominate Mexico's Criminal Landscape". 11 June 2020.
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