Overview

• The DEA’s 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment confirms a strategic alliance between the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and Los Chapitos, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
• This alliance could expand the groups' territories, resources, and influence, while exacerbating violence in key regions of Mexico.
• The internal war between Los Chapitos and Los Mayos within the Sinaloa Cartel has left over 600 dead and 800 missing since September 2024, creating an opportunity for CJNG to side with Los Chapitos.
• Both cartels are using innovative trafficking methods, including mixing fentanyl with xylazine, to maximize profits and extend their reach into U.S. and global markets.
• A viral video and DEA findings validate the alliance, raising concerns about increased drug flow into the U.S. and further destabilization in Mexico.