Over the weekend, Mexican authorities dealt a major blow to the Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, killing Jorge Humberto Figueroa Benítez — also known as "El Perris" or "El 27" — during a military operation in Navolato, Sinaloa.
At approximately 3 p.m. Friday, May 23, two army helicopters were deployed to the community of Bariometo, about 20 miles west of Culiacán. According to Security Minister Omar García Harfuch, a special army unit came under heavy fire from suspected cartel gunmen. Federal forces returned fire in what Harfuch described as "legitimate self-defense," resulting in the death of El Perris.
Four alleged members of Benítez's criminal cell were arrested during the operation.
Como parte de la estrategia para construir la paz en Sinaloa, se llevó a cabo una operación para detener a Jorge Humberto “N”, alias “El Perris”, elementos de @Defensamx1 fueron fuertemente atacados por hombres armados, por lo que tras repeler la agresión, en legítima defensa,… pic.twitter.com/etYmk6d9dg
— Omar H Garcia Harfuch (@OHarfuch) May 24, 2025
Authorities say Benítez was one of the top security chiefs for Los Chapitos, specifically serving Iván Archivaldo and Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar, sons of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. He was also identified as the leader of Los Ninis, the cartel's elite armed wing.
Officials also link him to the 2019 "Culiacanazo," when cartel gunmen overran the city of Culiacán to protest the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán López. Cartel members blocked roads, set vehicles on fire, and temporarily forced authorities to release Guzmán to avoid civilian casualties.
In April 2023, a federal grand jury in New York indicted Benítez and other cartel members on charges including engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, fentanyl importation conspiracy, and fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Before his death, Benítez had reportedly been exiled by Los Chapitos and was seeking an alliance with the rival La Mayiza faction. Although the government reported his death as the result of a confrontation, some Mexican journalists have suggested it may have stemmed from internal betrayal.
According to Infobae Mexico, journalist José Luis Montenegro reported that members of La Mayiza may have tipped off authorities about Benítez's location. Montenegro claims he had been negotiating his exit from organized crime with U.S. and Mexican authorities, making him a target within the cartel.
In February, The Latin Times reported that El Perris allegedly leaked information that led to the arrests of several key Los Chapitos figures, including Mauro Alejandro "N," the pilot accused of helping transport Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada to the United States, where he was later arrested alongside Joaquín Guzmán López.
Earlier this year, Benítez narrowly escaped capture during a military raid. Authorities believe he orchestrated an attack on Mexican forces five days later, underscoring his continued influence despite growing tensions within the Sinaloa Cartel.
In early 2024, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) named Benítez a key figure in the cartel's fentanyl trafficking operations and offered a $1 million reward for information leading to his capture.
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
