Overview

• The DEA's 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment highlights a possible alliance between the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
• The report warns that such an alliance could expand cartel territories, resources, and influence, increasing drug and weapons trafficking at the U.S.-Mexico border.
• A social media video purportedly confirming the alliance has surfaced, though its authenticity remains unverified.
• Since September 2024, a violent internal war between Los Chapitos and Los Mayos factions of the Sinaloa Cartel has resulted in over 600 deaths and nearly 800 disappearances.
• The CJNG, already operating in over 40 countries, continues to grow its presence across Mexico and globally, while Sinaloa factions are reportedly mixing fentanyl with xylazine to boost profits.