US offers $10 million reward for alleged Sinaloa cartel leaders in Tijuana
The United States has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of two brothers accused of leading operations for Mexico’s powerful Sinaloa cartel in the border city of Tijuana.
The US State Department said it is offering $5 million each for information on René Arzate Garcia, 42, known as “La Rana” (“The Frog”), and Alfonso Arzate Garcia, 52, known as “Aquiles” (“Achilles”). Their current whereabouts are unknown.
New indictment against René Arzate Garcia
On the same day the reward was announced, US authorities revealed a superseding indictment against René Arzate Garcia. He had previously been charged in San Diego with drug-related offences.
The new indictment includes charges of:
- Conspiracy
- Narcoterrorism
- Providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organisation
US officials allege that the brothers play a central role in controlling drug trafficking routes in Tijuana, a strategic hub along the US-Mexico border.
Why Tijuana matters
According to the State Department, the brothers are considered key figures in the cartel’s “command-and-control structure” in the region. Control of the so-called Tijuana Plaza is seen as crucial because it covers one of the busiest border crossings in the Western Hemisphere.
The California–Mexico border region has long been a flashpoint for violent rivalry between the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
Broader crackdown on cartels
The reward announcement comes amid intensified efforts by US and Mexican authorities to curb cartel violence and drug trafficking. Officials say targeting high-level leaders is aimed at disrupting operational networks and weakening cartel influence along the border.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the Arzate-Garcia brothers to come forward as part of the reward programme.
(With AFP inputs)