Mexico arrests regional drug cartel leader “El 24” in Sinaloa sweep

Federal forces in Mexico detained Iván Raymundo Olivas Reyes, known as “El 24”, identified as the regional head of the “Chapo Isidro” faction in Sinaloa. The operation, carried out on 15 June 2026 in the municipalities of Culiacán and Mocorito, was conducted by the army, navy, National Guard and the Attorney General’s Office.

Alongside Olivas, authorities captured several associates—including Patricio Albarrán Patiño (“Pato”), Esequiel Bueno Madero and Jorge Aruanjo Madriles—and seized a large cache of weapons, ammunition, tactical gear, chemicals for methamphetamine production and drug‑related materials. The security cabinet estimated the economic impact on organized crime at about 110 million pesos.

Investigators link Olivas to logistics for synthetic‑drug trafficking and ties to the Beltrán Leyva cartel, with U.S. agencies also probing his activities. The arrests represent a significant blow to the “Chapo Isidro” network operating in the state.