High-Ranking Members of the Sinaloa Cartel Charged with International Drug Trafficking

TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, announced the unsealing of two indictments charging high-ranking members of the Sinaloa Cartel with international drug trafficking. On November 13, 2019 and February 19, 2020, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned superseding indictments against cartel members Aureliano Guzman-Loera of Sinaloa, Mexico, and brothers Ruperto, Jose, and Heriberto Salgueiro-Nevarez of Guadalupe Y Calvo, Mexico.

The indictments allege various violations of United States law related to the international distribution of controlled substances, including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, occurring over several years.

The Salgueiro-Nevarez brothers allegedly operate a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel known as the SNO, which stands for the Salgueiro-Nevarez Organization. Aureliano Guzman-Loera is the brother of former Sinaloa Cartel leader, Joaquin Guzman-Loera.

An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.

CASE NUMBERS:         18-CR-1840-TUC-RCC(JR); 18-CR-00597-TUC-RCC(BGM)
RELEASE NUMBER:    2021-079_Guzman-Loera

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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