U.S. Department of State
09/18/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/18/2025 07:55
Sanctioning La Mayiza Faction of the Sinaloa Cartel
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Sanctioning La Mayiza Faction of the Sinaloa Cartel
Press Statement
Thomas "Tommy" Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson
September 18, 2025
The United States is sanctioning La Mayiza, a/k/a "Los Mayos," a menacing faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. The cartel's La Mayiza faction manages the production and trafficking of fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana, heroin, and methamphetamine from northwest Mexico into the United States.
Today's sanction actions also target Juan José Ponce Félix, a/k/a "Jesus Alexandro Sanchez Felix" and "El Ruso," the leader of La Mayiza's primary armed wing, and one of the cartel's regional networks. On September 16, 2025, the Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement affairs announced a reward offer of up to $5 million under the Narcotics Rewards Program for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ponce Félix.
The Sinaloa Cartel is a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) based in Mexico. The United States is committed to keeping the American people safe from dangerous FTOs that plague the country's streets with illicit drugs.
For more information about today's designations, please see Treasury's press release.
If you have information, please contact the DEA by phone (voice/text/WhatsApp/Signal) at +52-55 2312 3768 or by email at [email protected].
Tags
Bureau of Counterterrorism Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Crime, Human Trafficking, and Illicit Activities Department of the Treasury Division for Counter Threat Finance and Sanctions Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Drugs and Drug Trafficking Fentanyl Mexico Narcotics Narcotics Reward Program Office of the Spokesperson Sanctions and Designations Terrorism and Terrorist Organizations
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