Sinaloa Cartel pilot ‘Jando’ led aerial drug smuggling operations

Mauro Alberto Núñez Ojeda, known as ‘Jando’, has been identified as a central figure in the Sinaloa Cartel’s aerial operations. According to reports, he functioned as a de facto commander of the cartel’s air force, overseeing a fleet of aircraft used to transport high-ranking leaders and smuggle drugs across borders.

While not a top-level cartel boss, Núñez Ojeda held a position of significant authority and was a trusted associate of ‘Los Chapitos’, the four sons of Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán. He was reportedly tasked with executing the organization’s most sensitive missions.

The report highlights a July 2024 incident where a private plane from Mexico landed near El Paso, Texas, where U.S. federal agents were waiting. Among those detained was Joaquín Guzmán López, one of the sons of ‘El Chapo’, who is wanted by U.S. authorities for his involvement in the trafficking of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine.