On July 12, 2025, Jesús Norberto Larrañaga Herrera, known as “El 30,” was killed during a combined air and ground military operation in Tacuichamona, south of Culiacán, Sinaloa. The operation, involving federal and state forces, targeted the 32-year-old, who was identified as a key financial operative for the Sinaloa Cartel, specifically linked to the faction under Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and associated with his father-in-law, “El 20,” and the Los Tapia cell led by Mayito Flaco.
Larrañaga Herrera was killed in a confrontation in the Estancia de los García community, where he was traveling in a gray Jeep Rubicon. Reports indicate he was shot by a helicopter gunship, with his body later found inside a bullet-ridden vehicle alongside another individual, Jesús Alexis, aged 29. The operation resulted in at least four civilian deaths, prompting the Sinaloa State Human Rights Commission (CEDH) to open an investigation into potential excessive use of force by authorities, following complaints from local residents about abuses.
“El 30” was a significant figure in the Sinaloa Cartel, allegedly managing economic resources derived from illicit activities, particularly fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking. In September 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned him and his wife, Karla Gabriela Lizárraga Sánchez, for their roles in a money-laundering network tied to a paletería (ice cream shop) established in 2019. The U.S. authorities identified him as a key operator for “El Mayo” Zambada, who is currently detained in a U.S. prison.
The operation has sparked controversy, with Larrañaga’s mother claiming her son was “massacred” and reporting that authorities delayed allowing her to identify his body. Local residents described the incident as a “massacre,” and the CEDH is investigating claims of disappearances and abuses during the operation. The Sinaloa Attorney General’s Office also opened four homicide investigations and three inquiries into illegal deprivation of liberty related to the events.
The death of “El 30” marks a significant blow to the Sinaloa Cartel’s financial operations, but it has also raised questions about the tactics used by federal forces. The ongoing investigations will likely shed light on the circumstances surrounding the operation and its impact on the local community.
