Feds Offer $20M Bounty to Capture El Chapo's Cartel Sons

Sinaloa Cartel's Chicago drug trade targeted as two of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's sons remain at large

Apr. 16, 2026 at 2:05am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a single bullet casing or other small piece of crime scene evidence, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, conceptually representing the federal investigation into the Sinaloa Cartel's operations in Chicago.Federal authorities ramp up efforts to capture the Chapitos and disrupt the Sinaloa Cartel's lucrative drug pipeline to Chicago.Chicago Today

The U.S. government has doubled the bounty to $10 million each for Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar and Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar, two of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's sons who now run the Sinaloa Cartel's criminal operations in Mexico. The Sinaloa Cartel has controlled Chicago's illegal drug trade for decades, and federal authorities are ramping up efforts to capture the Chapitos and disrupt the cartel's Midwest drug pipeline.

Why it matters

The Sinaloa Cartel's control over Chicago's lucrative drug market has fueled violence and addiction in the city for years. With El Chapo imprisoned, his sons have taken over the cartel, and the U.S. government is now offering a historic $20 million bounty to incentivize informants to help capture the Chapitos and cut off the cartel's supply chain to Chicago.

The details

After the arrest of their father, Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, two of his sons - Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar and Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar - have assumed leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel and continued operating the cartel's drug trafficking operations in Mexico. The U.S. government has now doubled the bounty on each son to $10 million, totaling a $20 million reward, in an effort to capture the Chapitos and disrupt the cartel's supply of drugs, guns, and other illicit goods to Chicago.

  • Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman was arrested in a firefight a decade ago.
  • The U.S. government just doubled the bounty on Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar from $5 million to $10 million.
  • Five Sinaloa Cartel operatives were charged on Tuesday in Southern California with smuggling ghost guns and trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamines.

The players

Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman

The former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, who is currently imprisoned in the Colorado Supermax prison.

Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar

One of El Chapo's sons who now runs the Sinaloa Cartel's criminal operations in Mexico.

Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar

One of El Chapo's sons who now runs the Sinaloa Cartel's criminal operations in Mexico, with a $10 million bounty on his head.

Mike Gannon

Former assistant special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Division.

Sinaloa Cartel

A powerful Mexican drug trafficking, money laundering, and organized crime syndicate that has controlled Chicago's illegal drug trade for decades.

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What they’re saying

“Obviously it's a family run criminal organization. And when you look at it, he's at the top right now.”

— Mike Gannon, Former assistant special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Division

“Whether they're flashing assets in your face, at the end of the day, it's kind of hard to enjoy these assets when you end up in a jail cell.”

— Mike Gannon, Former assistant special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Division

“Whether it's drugs. Whether it's guns. Whether its trafficking of people, at the end of the day, they're ruthless, vicious people that don't care who's lives they affect. They're going to do anything they can to make a buck.”

— Mike Gannon, Former assistant special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Division

What’s next

The U.S. government hopes the $20 million bounty will incentivize someone close to the Chapitos to provide information that leads to their capture and extradition to the United States.

The takeaway

The Sinaloa Cartel's control over Chicago's lucrative drug trade has fueled violence and addiction in the city for decades. With the Chapitos now running the cartel, the U.S. government is ramping up efforts to cut off the cartel's supply chain to Chicago by offering historic bounties to capture the elusive brothers.