The publication

Who Is ‘La Rana’? René Arzate García: Role, Charges and Status

What officials and news reports say about René Arzate García, known as “La Rana”. Everything below is attributed to its source. Accusations are allegations, not findings: anyone not convicted is presumed innocent.

At a glance

Name: René Arzate García
Known as: La Rana
Role, as officials describe it: According to the DEA, he and his brother Alfonso ("Aquiles") have jointly controlled the Tijuana Plaza for the Sinaloa Cartel for the past 15 years, maintaining authority through violence, strategic alliances and deep local influence, including political and police corruption. [U.S. Department of State, 2026-02-26 · official record]
Latest status (as of 2026-02-26): The DOJ describes him as 42 years old, of Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico; he is reported at large. [U.S. Department of Justice (Office of Public Affairs), 2026-02-26 · official record]
Link to a criminal group: linked to the Sinaloa Cartel in official U.S. or Mexican records cited below. See the Sinaloa Cartel profile.
On this page: 12 facts from 8 sources (9 from official records). Unverified leads are not shown.

Role, as officials describe it

The DEA describes the brothers as high-level members of the La Mayiza faction of the Sinaloa Cartel and among DEA's most wanted fugitives. [U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, 2026-02-26 · official record]
Court documents and officials allege he took on a hyperviolent role, using paramilitary fighters to patrol territory, explosive-equipped drones, and military-grade weapons including grenade launchers. [Fox News, 2026-02-26 · news/research]
Treasury's Sept. 29, 2026 action described his support network — Pedro Humberto Martínez Rodríguez ("Gordo Flubber"), Jesús Rafael Yocupicio Yocupicio ("El Cabezón") and Franklin Ernesto Huezo Hernández ("El Ranchero") — as carrying out violence on his behalf and managing narcotics production and transportation. [Tijuana Press, 2026-09-29 · news/research]

Accusations and charges

A superseding indictment unsealed Feb. 26, 2026 in the Southern District of California charges him with narcoterrorism, conducting a continuing criminal enterprise, material support of a foreign terrorist organization, international conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl and marijuana, and money laundering. The charges are allegations; he has not been convicted. [U.S. Department of Justice, 2026-02-26 · official record]
Both brothers were first charged in the Southern District of California in 2014 in separate drug-trafficking indictments and have been fugitives since. [U.S. Department of State, 2026-02-26 · official record]

Sanctions and designations

Treasury's OFAC designated both brothers on Aug. 9, 2023 under Executive Order 14059. [U.S. Department of State, 2026-02-26 · official record]
On Sept. 29, 2026 Treasury reclassified La Rana and Aquiles under E.O. 13224, as amended, for acting for or on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel. [Pregonero Baja, 2026-09-29 · news/research]

Names and aliases

The U.S. State Department identifies him as René Arzate-García, a/k/a "La Rana." [U.S. Department of State, 2026-02-26 · official record]

Key events

The State Department's Sept. 29, 2026 release offered up to $5 million each for Tijuana plaza bosses "Aquiles" and "La Rana," plus up to $5 million for Mexicali cartel leader Juan José Ponce Félix ("El Ruso"). [U.S. Department of State, 2026-09-29 · official record]

Other reported details

On Feb. 26, 2026 the State Department's Narcotics Rewards Program offered up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction in any country, in coordination with the DEA San Diego Division and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California. [U.S. Department of State, 2026-02-26 · official record]

Our coverage

Sinaloa Cartel profile · More “Who is” profiles

Last reviewed: September 30, 2026. If you are named here and believe something is wrong, contact us via our corrections page.