Mexican authorities scored a significant arrest this week in the tourist port city of Mazatlán, Sinaloa, with the arrest of Gabriel Nicolás Martínez Larios, also known as "El Gabito" or "El 80," an alleged regional leader of Los Chapitos who for years oversaw the group's operations in the area.
Martínez Larios was arrested June 1 by federal and state authorities in a residential development north of the city. His capture represents a major blow to the faction led by the sons of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, as El Gabito had become a key figure within the organization and was even immortalized in several narcocorridos, a genre of Mexican ballads that often narrates and embellishes the lives of cartel members.
In fact, according to Infobae México, El Gabito is the subject of three narcocorridos that trace his rise from an associate of Martínez Larios clan in 2018 to a plaza boss and regional leader for Los Chapitos, a position the songs suggest he attained by 2023.
Although the Martínez Larios family is originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco, it later relocated to El Rosario, Sinaloa, where the brothers began working for Los Chapitos.
As noted by Infobae México, El Gabito steadily climbed the ranks of the organization. Mexico's Defense Ministry had documented his activities as early as October 2020, identifying him as an active operator in Mazatlán, Concordia, El Rosario and Escuinapa. Another report from 2022 identified his brothers, known as "El Casco" and "El Owen," as key operators in the same region.
According to Mexican journalists and security experts, El Gabito and El Casco imposed extortion schemes on mining companies in Concordia, demanding monthly payments in exchange for allowing operations to continue.
The municipality recently drew international attention this year after 10 employees of Canadian mining company Vizsla Silver were kidnapped and later killed after the company allegedly refused to pay criminal groups operating in the area.
El Gabito's name gained greater prominence among authorities following the 2025 killing of Óscar Noé Medina González, also known as "El Panu," a close associate and trusted lieutenant of Iván Archivaldo Guzmán, the current leader of Los Chapitos.
According to authorities, El Panu was considered one of Iván Archivaldo's top lieutenants and was responsible for the cartel leader's personal security. He also played a key role in the faction's drug trafficking operations, including the expansion of fentanyl distribution networks in Mexico and the United States.
As noted by Infobae México, El Gabito was widely viewed as El Panu's natural successor. However, he was never formally promoted within the cartel's leadership structure, the outlet noted.
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