The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the targeting of a cartel boss behind one of the largest fentanyl seizures in Mexican history.
On Wednesday morning, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the targeting of Jesus Alfredo “El Mochomito” Beltran Guzman, the current leader of the Beltran Leyva cartel. The criminal organization is linked to the large-scale trafficking of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, as well as numerous violent crimes, including murders, kidnapping, torture, and engaging in large-scale shootouts.
Jesus Alfredo Beltran Guzman (U.S. Department of the Treasury)
That organization is linked to two raids in December 2024 in Sinaloa, where Mexican authorities seized more than 2,000 pounds of fentanyl in the towns of Ahome and Guazave. The seizure is believed to be the equivalent of 20 million doses of fentanyl.
Record Fentanyl Seizure in Mexico (U.S. Department of the Treasury)
“Beltran Guzman and the BLO have continued to operate with violent impunity, trafficking in deadly drugs, threatening communities, and targeting key officials, all while profiting from their criminal schemes,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent in a prepared statement. “Treasury, in close partnership with our law enforcement colleagues, will continue to disrupt the operations of the cartels and their affiliates that enable the trafficking of deadly drugs like fentanyl across our border and in our communities.”
Beltran Guzman is the son of Alfredo “El Mochomo” Beltran Leyva, a former top leader of the cartel who is serving a life sentence in a U.S prison. El Mochomito is also the nephew of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, one of the supreme leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, who is currently serving a life term in a U.S. prison.
In 2016, Mexican authorities had arrested El Mochomito on weapons charges, but he was released in 2021. During his time in prison, he allegedly tortured and extorted prisoners while he continued his drug trafficking business.
The Treasury designation blocks all assets and accounts tied to Beltran Guzman and forbids any U.S. citizen from doing business with him at the risk of facing similar sanctions.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart News Foundation. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at
