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Are There Cartels in New Mexico? Juárez Cartel, Sinaloa Cartel, 2 Cartel-Linked Federal Cases and Evidence (2026)

Which Mexican cartels and transnational gangs are reported in New Mexico, what federal prosecutors have charged since 2024, and our latest New Mexico coverage. Every item links to its source.

Cartels in the U.S.: map and all states · Mexico cartel map

At a glance

How to read this page

  • Reported presence comes from DEA, Congressional Research Service, Justice Department and news reports that name New Mexico or a city in it. It shows where groups have been reported, not how many people are involved.
  • Multi-state actions (a national indictment or a multi-district operation) are listed separately and don’t count as evidence of presence in this state.
  • Federal cases are Justice Department, U.S. Attorney, DEA, FBI and HSI announcements since January 2024. We name a cartel only when the release itself does; other cases are listed as drug-trafficking cases. Charged people are presumed innocent until convicted, so we don’t list defendants’ names here. Follow the link to read the release.
  • What it doesn’t tell you: cartel activity in your neighborhood, or crime rates. It is a record of what officials and reporters have published.

Nationwide: the DEA’s 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment says associates, facilitators and affiliates of the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG operate in almost all 50 U.S. states. [Small Wars Journal (summary of DEA NDTA 2025), 2025-05-18 · news/research] The state-by-state evidence below goes further: named cities, federal cases and official reports.

Groups reported in New Mexico

  • Los Chapitos (Sinaloa Cartel) (DEA threat assessment, as of 2024-07-25): “On July 25, 2024, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada-Garcia and Joaquín Guzmán-López were arrested in New Mexico.” [Small Wars Journal, 2025-05-18 · news/research]
  • Los Mayos (Sinaloa Cartel) (DEA threat assessment, as of 2024-07-25): “On July 25, 2024, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada-Garcia and Joaquín Guzmán-López were arrested in New Mexico.” [Small Wars Journal, 2025-05-18 · news/research]
  • Juárez Cartel (news report, Albuquerque, as of 2024): “pleaded guilty in U.S. district court in Albuquerque to conspiring to smuggle marijuana into the United States” [Akron Beacon Journal, 2024-01-26 · news/research]
  • Sinaloa Cartel (news report, Santa Fe, as of 2025): “The U.S. Department of Justice said cash and drugs, pictured here, were seized in Santa Fe and Albuquerque in the country's largest ever fentanyl bust in April. In court records, two Drug Enforcement Administration special agents characterized Phillip Lovato as a 'significant customer' in Santa Fe.” [Tri-City Record · news/research]
  • Juárez Cartel (federal court case, as of 2024): “Quintana was identified as the Police Chief of Namiquipa, as well as the Plaza Boss of the Juarez Cartel, and extradited to the United States in August of 2022.” [U.S. Department of Justice · official record]

Named in multi-state or national actions that include New Mexico

These federal actions or reports cover several states at once. They show New Mexico was among the places named, not that a group has an established presence here.

  • Tren de Aragua (federal court case, as of 2026): “indictments across five U.S. Attorney offices, including the District of Colorado, District of Nebraska, District of New Mexico” [U.S. Department of Justice · official record]
  • Tren de Aragua (federal court case, as of 2025): “Federal prosecutors have indicted 11 alleged members and leaders of TdA on racketeering charges, accusing them of kidnapping, brutally interrogating, and strangling a victim in an Albuquerque apartment, before burying his body in a remote desert grave.” [U.S. Department of Justice · official record]

Federal cases in New Mexico (since Jan 2024)

Date City Charges Stage Source
2026-04-22 Albuquerque conspiracy to distribute fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (3 counts)
No cartel named in the release		 Sentenced
time served		 FBI
2025-12-19 Albuquerque conspiracy to conduct racketeering activity (RICO); murder in aid of racketeering; kidnapping in aid of racketeering; drug trafficking conspiracy
Release names: Tren de Aragua		 Indicted HSI
2025-12-16 Albuquerque conspiracy to distribute fentanyl; distribution of fentanyl (4 counts); alien in possession of ammunition; conspiracy to smuggle aliens; conspiracy to violate t
No cartel named in the release		 Sentenced
204 months		 DEA
2025-10-24 Albuquerque distribution of methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and carrying a firearm in relation to drug trafficking
Release not yet checked; no cartel label		 Sentenced
17 years in prison (Aispuro-Lopez); 22.5 years in prison (Fe		 DEA
2025-10-24 Albuquerque, NM Release names: Sinaloa Cartel Sentenced USAO-NM
2025-05-06 Albuquerque conspiracy to distribute fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (400g+); possession with intent to distribute heroin (1kg+); possession with in
Release not yet checked; no cartel label		 Charged DEA
2024-10-29 Albuquerque Drug trafficking conspiracy (fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine distribution)
No cartel named in the release		 Indicted
indictment unsealed; 10 years minimum to life if convicted		 DEA
2024-10-01 Albuquerque Federal firearms offenses (attempted southbound trafficking of machinegun, rifles, grenade to Mexico)
No cartel named in the release		 Charged
facing federal charges; up to 15 years each if convicted		 ATF
2024-02-28 Carlsbad Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine; possession with intent to distribute
No cartel named in the release		 Pleaded guilty DEA

Our New Mexico coverage

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Last reviewed: September 30, 2026. Report errors via our corrections page.