Mexican forces capture 10 cartel members linked to El Chapo’s brother in U.S.-backed operation

Mexican soldiers have captured 10 members of a Sinaloa cartel faction led by Aureliano Guzman Loera, the brother of imprisoned drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, in an operation supported by U.S. intelligence, the Mexican military announced Thursday.

Those detained include Guzman Loera’s “right-hand man,” chief bodyguard, and key financial and logistical aides, according to a statement from Mexico’s defense secretary. Authorities also seized multiple weapons, ammunition, and explosive devices during the raid.

The operation took place in Tamazula, a mountainous village near the border of Durango and Sinaloa states, a region where the cartel leader known as “El Guano” wields significant influence.

The U.S. State Department has offered a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Aureliano Guzman Loera.

The successful raid comes amid heightened tensions between Mexico and the United States over the presence of CIA agents in a separate anti-narcotics operation. Two CIA employees were killed last week in a car crash following a raid on a clandestine drug lab in Chihuahua state, alongside two Mexican officials.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has said she is considering sanctions against the government of Chihuahua for allowing the CIA agents to participate without explicit federal authorization. She has repeatedly rejected U.S. military aid offers from President Donald Trump, insisting that Washington’s support be limited to intelligence sharing.

Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán is currently serving a life sentence in the United States, while two of his sons await trial. His associates remain locked in a violent struggle for control of the Sinaloa cartel against factions loyal to Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, the cartel’s co-founder who is also awaiting trial in the U.S.