Capture of Alleged Cartel Leader Ivan Cazarin Molina

The Mexican security forces have successfully detained Ivan Cazarin Molina, known as “El Tanque,” who is accused of leading operations connected to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Authorities announced Molina’s arrest on Monday in Zapopan, Jalisco, as reported by security minister Omar Garcia Harfuch through social media.

Molina is alleged to oversee a vast network involved in fuel theft and is linked to other criminal activities, including drug trafficking and homicide. He stands accused in the execution of an attack on a Mexican Army helicopter in 2015 resulting in casualties among the Army and the Federal Police members.

The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Molina in September 2024, labeling him part of the inner circle of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, commonly known as “El Mencho,” the former leader of CJNG who died during a military intervention. The Treasury highlighted Molina’s roles in extortion and homicide alongside his fuel theft activities that generate substantial revenue for himself and CJNG.

Molina reportedly operates numerous retail gas stations where he sells pilfered fuel, some of which allegedly reaches markets in the United States, particularly Texas. The growing trend of fuel theft, referred to as “huachicol” in Mexico, has become a significant revenue source for cartels, second to drug trafficking.

The U.S. State Department announced a $25 million reward for information leading to the apprehension of Juan Carlos González, the new CJNG leader, reflecting the organization’s high-profile criminal status. CJNG has been marked as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S., underlining its menace on both sides of the border.