Sinaloa security report, September 2025

Presence and activities of OCGs

The conflict between the Mayo Zambada (MZ) and Menores factions of the Cártel de Sinaloa (CDS), which has been ongoing since September 2024, persisted into September 2025, officially marking its first anniversary. Janes identified that the most significant events of the month occurred predominantly in the municipality of Culiacán, followed by Navolato, Mazatlán, and San Ignacio municipalities. The most recurrent violent events reported by the Mexican press in September were the intentional homicides of rival organised crime group (OCG) members and civilian bystanders who were killed in the clashes; attacks against civilians and security forces, including kidnappings of civilians and police officers, and attacks on private residences, private vehicles, and businesses; clashes between OCGs and security forces; and narco-messages.

According to local news outlet Noroeste – which publishes a daily report on Sinaloa’s violence using official sources, local NGOs, and newspapers – between 9 September 2024 and 5 September 2025, there were reports of 1,955 intentional homicides (including 111 OCG members killed by security forces), 1,933 victims of kidnapping and/or disappearances, 1,655 arrests, and 6,959 stolen vehicles in Sinaloa.

Culiacán - Attacks against police officers

The local press reported three murders of police officers:

• On 2 September, news outlet Infobae reported that Municipal Police officer José Luis N had been shot dead in the street in the Villa Bonita neighbourhood.
• On 11 September, local news outlet RíoDoce reported that Álvaro N, a police officer from the Sinaloa Secretariat of Public Security (Secretaría de Seguridad Pública del Estado: SSPE) had been killed in a shootout in Los Pinos on the same day. He was being followed by a group of armed OCG members, which caused him to crash into an electricity post. The OCG members then shot him and left the scene.
• On 13 September, RíoDoce reported that an Elite Group officer from the SSPE had been killed in a shootout in the Agrarista neighbourhood.

Attacks against official vehicles

The press reported two separate attacks on government vehicles:

• On 3 September, Infobae reported that members of an unnamed OCG had thrown caltrops at a vehicle carrying Culiacán’s Secretary of Public Security Colonel Alejandro Bravo in the Lomas de Guadalupe neighbourhood. No casualties or arrests were reported in connection with the incident.
• On 23 September, newspaper La Jornada reported that members of an unnamed OCG had shot at the vehicle transporting the granddaughter of Rubén Rocha, Sinaloa’s governor. Two members of the SSPE’s Protection Services Directorate (Dirección de Servicios de Protección) were wounded, according to La Jornada. No further information about the incident was made public. During her daily press conference on 23 September, President Claudia Sheinbaum said that the incident was under investigation, but that evidence suggests it was an attempted vehicle theft, and that the family of Rocha was not the specific target.

UAV attacks in Caminaguato 

On 11 September, news agency Quadratín Sinaloa reported that at least four improvised explosive devices (IEDs), dropped from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), had been used in an attack on Mexican security forces on the road between Tecolotes and Caminaguato in the Tepuche district of the municipality of Culiacán. The security forces had been driving to Caminaguato on 9 September to respond to reports of a murdered person. No casualties were reported.

On 12 September, digital newspaper Animal Político and La Jornada reported that since 8 September, civilians in Caminaguato, Las Guásimas, and La Reforma had been attacked by OCG members using explosive-laden UAVs. According to the same reports, around 200 people have been forcibly displaced to Jesús María and the towns have become disputed territories between rival CDS factions.

The Secretariat of National Defence (Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional: SEDENA) was deployed to Caminaguato in September in response to OCG-related violence. On 27 September, Infobae reported that clashes had taken place that day between SEDENA and members of an unnamed OCG in Caminaguato. A SEDENA convoy was attacked during a land patrol, resulting in a clash. Three alleged OCG members were killed.

Clashes between OCGs and security forces

The following notable clashes between OCG members and security forces were reported:

• On 12 September, RíoDoce reported that the day after security forces were attacked by four explosive-laden UAVs on the road between Tecolotes and Caminaguato, members of an unnamed OCG had clashed with security forces. This resulted in the deaths of two alleged OCG members in Caminaguato.
• On 16 September, RíoDoce reported that on the same day, there had been a clash between the army and members of an unnamed OCG on the Imala highway, near the new General Hospital of Culiacán. No casualties or arrests were reported.
• On 16 September, RíoDoce reported clashes between security forces and members of an unnamed OCG in Culiacancito and El Tamarindo. No casualties were reported and eight people were arrested. Two up-armoured vehicles were also seized (see images of the seized vehicles in the ‘Seizures’ section of this report).
• On 18 September, RíoDoce reported that members of an unnamed OCG robbed the vehicle of members of the National Guard while they were driving on the Culiacán-Mazatlán Maxipista highway, near La Laguna de Canachi. The vehicle was an unofficial unit borrowed by the officers travelling in it.
• On 27 September, Infobae and news outlet Proceso reported that on 26 September, members of an unnamed OCG had shot at a police convoy on the Culiacán-Culiacancito highway in Bacurimí, Culiacán. The Municipal Police and the Preventive State Police (Policía Estatal Preventiva: PEP) were attacked by members of an OCG, resulting in a clash with security forces. Two police officers and two civilian bystanders were wounded in the clash.
• On 27 September, Proceso reported that on the previous day, a clash had occurred between members of the SSPE and an unnamed OCG in the La Conquista area of Culiacán. One police officer and one alleged OCG member were killed. 

Killing of alias El Pichón of Los Chimales

On 4 September, Infobae reported that Ángel N (alias El Pichón), the alleged plaza leader of the Los Chimales cell of CDS-Menores, was killed in an attack while driving his vehicle in Campo El 10, Culiacán. El Pichón was followed by armed OCG members who opened fire at his vehicle, killing him.

Los Chimales is responsible for providing security to CDS-Menores. The cell was founded in 2014 by alias Pancho Chimal, who used to provide protection to the CDS co-founder and former leader of CDS-MZ, Ismael Zambada (alias El Mayo).

Protests against insecurity

On 8 September, La Jornada reported that citizens in Culiacán had protested against the insecurity and violence caused by the dispute between rival cartels in Sinaloa. Around 20,000 people demonstrated against the Sinaloa governor’s handling of the violence related to the OCG in the state. The protest, which remained peaceful, was organised by civil society organisations.

Navolato

Several clashes between security forces and OCG members were reported in September in Navolato:

• On 3 September, RíoDoce reported a clash in Villa Juárez between security forces and members of an unnamed OCG. The clash resulted in one person being killed and three wounded. No further information was provided. RíoDoce also reported that on 2 September, a clash had taken place between rival unnamed OCGs in Villa Juárez.
• On 13 September, RíoDoce reported a clash between security forces and members of an unnamed OCG in La Curva de San Pedro. The clash resulted in one alleged OCG member being killed.
• On 18 September, RíoDoce reported a clash between two unnamed OCGs on La 20 highway in the Villa Benito Juárez district. The clash resulted in six civilian bystanders being wounded.
• On 25 September, RíoDoce reported that several shootouts and road blockades had taken place in Navolato. The news outlet reported that attacks against lorry drivers started on the Navolato-Altata highway, near the Limoncito bridge, forcing drivers to give up their units to block the roads. Shootouts were reported in Villa Benito Juárez district. No casualties were reported.

For more information please see: Sinaloa security report, September 2025