'Mayito Flaco' Reportedly Reaches Deal With Zetas Offset To Face 'Chapitos'-Jalisco Cartel Alliance

Ismael Zambada Sicairos, son of Sinaloa Cartel Leader "El Mayo" Zambada, has reportedly reached a deal with an offset of the Zetas, known as Los Chukys, to face the alliance reached between the "Chapitos" and the Jalisco Cartel (CJNG), according to a new report.

Journalist Oscar Balderas detailed that negotiations began in June and are also aimed at strengthening the Sinaloa Cartel faction's territorial control. He added that the Mayiza also has the support of the Guasave Cartel and the Cabrera Sarabia family.

Los Chukys, which is linked to the Cartel del Noreste, has some 200 operatives, as well as collaborators and other associates.

The alliance seeks to counter the powerful association between the Jalisco Cartel and the Chapitos, rivals of the Mayiza for the control of the Sinaloa Cartel. The CJNG has now become the most powerful criminal organization in Mexico, eclipsing the once-dominant Sinaloa Cartel by capitalizing on shifts in the U.S. drug market and the internal collapse of its longtime rival.

A Wall Street Journal'sreport from mid September points to rising cocaine consumption in the United States and a decline in fentanyl use since 2023 as key factors in the cartel reshuffle. Derek Maltz, former head of operations for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, told the paper: "El Mencho is the most powerful trafficker operating in the world today. What we are seeing is a pivot toward far greater distribution of cocaine in the U.S." The U.S. government is offering $15 millon for information regarding his capture.

While demand shifted, the Sinaloa Cartel was unraveling. The arrest of longtime co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada set off a bloody feud between "Mayito Flaco" and the "Chapitos." Noroeste newspaper reported more than 2,000 murders and nearly 2,000 kidnappings in Sinaloa alone as the infighting escalated.

Facing weakened leadership, Los Chapitos struck a pact with El Mencho in late 2024. According to sources cited by the Journal, CJNG agreed to provide weapons, money, and fighters in exchange for access to Sinaloa's smuggling tunnels and routes into the United States.

The arrangement allowed Los Chapitos to retain control of fentanyl while El Mencho secured dominance over cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking.

According to the Journal, CJNG's influence stretches beyond narcotics. Security experts note the group extorts businesses in Jalisco and other states, imposing "taxes" on tortillas, poultry, cigarettes, and beer. The cartel has also penetrated the construction sector, winning municipal contracts, and has profited from the black market in stolen fuel.

Originally published on Latin Times