2 Cousins, an Aunt and an Uncle of ‘Carlitos Rugrats,’ Wanted in San Diego for Narcoterrorism, Among 7 Arrested in Dawn Raids in Culiacán’s Laguna Colorada, Sinaloa
Federal forces arrested seven people in five court-authorized raids in Culiacán, Sinaloa, early on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, and four of them are relatives of Carlos Alberto Páez Pereda, “Carlitos Rugrats,” according to Infobae. Páez Pereda, 30, is wanted in a federal case in San Diego that includes narcoterrorism charges. The raids came two days after troops arrested “El Wicho,” whom Mexican officials call his money man.
Who was arrested
Mexico’s Security Cabinet said the Navy, the federal security ministry (SSPC), the National Guard and the federal prosecutor’s office (FGR) searched properties in the Culiacán communities of Los Becos, Laguna Colorada and Costa Rica. The Cabinet said the group used them for meetings, coordination, shelter and logistics. It called the group a “violence-generating” cell. Milenio says the cell is Los Rugrats, part of the Los Mayos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
The Cabinet called two of the detained women logistics operators for the cell. Milenio identifies them as Leslie Dennise Pereda García and Aglaee Ramírez Páez, both cousins of Páez Pereda. Infobae says two others are his aunt and uncle, Claudia Selene García Ontiveros and Francisco Javier Ramírez Agüero. It also names Carlota Murillo Avendaño, María Alejandrina Páez Sainz and Ana Cristina Ramírez Páez among the detained, without saying how they are related to him. No charges have been announced. Prosecutors will decide their legal status.
What was seized
Officials listed three rifles, a handgun, eight magazines, cartridges, packages of suspected cocaine and other drug doses, cash, phones, a tablet, two laptops, three vehicles, a Razer-type off-road vehicle and a motorcycle, Meganoticias reported. No quantities were given.
Residents push back
In Laguna Colorada, Páez Pereda’s hometown, relatives and neighbors tried to stop agents from taking away a detained woman, Meganoticias reported. La Razón said residents accused Navy and SSPC personnel of abuse of authority and damage to homes. Óscar Loza Ochoa, head of Sinaloa’s state human rights commission, said a commission staff member went with the woman to federal facilities to monitor how she was treated. The Cabinet’s statement did not address the complaints.
The U.S. case
The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Páez Pereda on Sept. 18, 2025, and the Justice Department announced the indictment against him on July 7, 2026, Infobae reported. He remains at large. Infobae said El Wicho is wanted in the Central District of California on a cocaine charge.
Sources
- Infobae (Luis Fernando Ortiz Delgado), “Capturan en Sinaloa a cuatro familiares de ‘Carlitos Rugrats’, operador criminal ligado a ‘Los Mayos’,” Oct. 15, 2026
- Milenio (Manuel Aceves), “Cinco inmuebles en Culiacán eran usados como puntos de reunión y coordinación por Los Rugrats: Gabinete de Seguridad,” Oct. 15, 2026
- Meganoticias (Armando Medina), “Operativo en Laguna Colorada deja siete detenidos tras cinco cateos,” Oct. 15, 2026
- La Razón (Elizabeth Hernández), “Gabinete de Seguridad responde a denuncias por operativo en Culiacán; hay 7 detenidos,” Oct. 15, 2026
- Photos: Línea Directa (Tere Navia); Meganoticias
Reported Oct. 15, 2026, from the outlets above and the Security Cabinet statement as they describe it. The people detained have not been charged and are presumed innocent. Their relationship to Páez Pereda is as reported by Infobae and Milenio.