A notorious leader of Mexico’s powerful Sinaloa cartel, Jorge Humberto Figueroa, also known as “El Perris”, has been shot and killed during a military raid in Mexico.
The operation, which took place on Friday, was aimed at arresting the wanted cartel figure, who had a $1 million U.S. bounty on his head. The announcement was made by Mexican public safety secretary Omar García Harfuch.
The killing comes amid an ongoing bloody conflict between rival factions within the Sinaloa cartel, which has led to more than 1,200 deaths since September, particularly in the cartel’s stronghold of Sinaloa state.
Who Was “El Perris”?
Jorge Humberto Figueroa, better known by his nickname “El Perris”, was a high-ranking member of a faction of the Sinaloa cartel led by the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, known as “Los Chapitos.”
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had accused him of fentanyl trafficking and money laundering, offering up to $1 million for any information leading to his arrest.
Key Role in 2019 Culiacán Uprising
Figueroa played a major role in a violent uprising in Culiacán in 2019, after Mexican forces arrested Ovidio Guzmán, son of El Chapo. The cartel retaliated fiercely, prompting authorities to release Ovidio to prevent further bloodshed. This decision was widely criticized at the time.
Ovidio Guzmán was recaptured in 2023 and later extradited to the United States, where he remains in federal custody.
Ongoing War Within the Sinaloa Cartel
The Sinaloa cartel is no longer unified. A violent turf war continues between:
- Los Chapitos, led by El Chapo’s sons
- A rival faction led by relatives of co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada
In 2024, El Mayo was tricked into a U.S. sting operation and arrested, weakening his faction’s leadership. Figueroa, according to Mexico’s Reforma newspaper, served as head of security for Los Chapitos.
Shocking Acts of Brutality
A 2023 U.S. Justice Department indictment accused Los Chapitos of carrying out extreme violence and torture, including:
- Using corkscrews and electrocution on rivals
- Burning victims with hot chiles
- Feeding some victims dead or alive to tigers
These shocking allegations have highlighted the brutality of the cartel’s internal operations.
Cartel Family Members Enter U.S.
Earlier this month, Mexican authorities confirmed that 17 relatives of cartel leaders, including El Chapo’s ex-wife Griselda López Pérez and her daughter, crossed into the U.S. This was reportedly part of a deal between Ovidio Guzmán and the Trump administration. The exact nature of the agreement remains unclear.