Mexican authorities have brought an end to the life of Pedro Inzunza Coronel, alias "El Pichón", one of Mexico's most notorious fentanyl traffickers. The Mexican navy's anti-drug operation in the north-western state of Sinaloa resulted in the death of the 45-year-old kingpin during a confrontation with naval personnel on Sunday.
Coronel was widely regarded as one of Mexico's top fentanyl smugglers, accused of importing tens of thousands of kilograms of the deadly drug into the US. His father, Pedro Inzunza Noriega, is also under indictment for his alleged role in the duo's illicit activities. Mexican authorities have previously seized large quantities of fentanyl linked to the pair, including 1.65 tons, which remains the largest seizure of its kind globally.
The father-son team was charged by the US Department of Justice with narco-terrorism in May for their alleged involvement in trafficking massive amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin into the US. The charges also included money laundering. This was the first-ever indictment of its kind in the nation, according to the US attorney's office.
Coronel and his father were key figures in the Beltrán Leyva Organization, a splinter group of the Sinaloa Cartel that is now believed defunct but whose offshoots continue to operate across Mexico. The late trafficker was reportedly the right-hand man of Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, alias "El Chapo Isidro", leader of the Guasave Cartel.
During a Sunday operation, Mexican authorities seized several drug laboratories and confiscated weapons, vehicles, drugs, and chemical precursors. US Ambassador Ronald Johnson congratulated the Mexican authorities on their efforts, stating that Coronel was accused of multiple crimes including murder, kidnapping, torture, and violent debt collection for his fentanyl trafficking activities.
Coronel was widely regarded as one of Mexico's top fentanyl smugglers, accused of importing tens of thousands of kilograms of the deadly drug into the US. His father, Pedro Inzunza Noriega, is also under indictment for his alleged role in the duo's illicit activities. Mexican authorities have previously seized large quantities of fentanyl linked to the pair, including 1.65 tons, which remains the largest seizure of its kind globally.
The father-son team was charged by the US Department of Justice with narco-terrorism in May for their alleged involvement in trafficking massive amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin into the US. The charges also included money laundering. This was the first-ever indictment of its kind in the nation, according to the US attorney's office.
Coronel and his father were key figures in the Beltrán Leyva Organization, a splinter group of the Sinaloa Cartel that is now believed defunct but whose offshoots continue to operate across Mexico. The late trafficker was reportedly the right-hand man of Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, alias "El Chapo Isidro", leader of the Guasave Cartel.
During a Sunday operation, Mexican authorities seized several drug laboratories and confiscated weapons, vehicles, drugs, and chemical precursors. US Ambassador Ronald Johnson congratulated the Mexican authorities on their efforts, stating that Coronel was accused of multiple crimes including murder, kidnapping, torture, and violent debt collection for his fentanyl trafficking activities.