Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo

Because of his age and health, a judge granted Félix Gallardo house arrest for his 40-year sentence. The FGR challenged the measure, the second sentence still had to be addressed and planned transfers were suspended. As at 12 September 2026, he remained detained at Puente Grande.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Félix Gallardo was convicted in a case concerning unlawful importation of cocaine, stockpiling of weapons and bribery (cohecho). A 2003 amparo required the proceedings to be reopened, but the 40-year sentence ultimately became final when the Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal in 2022.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Legal status — source text

40-year sentence, final after the Supreme Court declined review

Attribution

Accused

Following the relocation of traffickers from Sinaloa to Guadalajara under pressure from Operación Cóndor, Félix Gallardo, together with Rafael Caro Quintero, Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo and others, built an organisation centralising much of the Mexican marijuana, heroin and subsequently cocaine trafficking routes into the United States.

State of the evidence

Well documented

At the time of his arrest, Mexico's Attorney General publicly acknowledged that Félix Gallardo had operated for years under the protection of corrupt police officers who supplied him with weapons, radios, investigative information and security for drug shipments.

State of the evidence

Admitted by the person

After several unsuccessful police attempts, Félix Gallardo was arrested in Guadalajara. The operation was accompanied by the arrest or removal of numerous police officers suspected of having protected him and supplied him with information.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Under Félix Gallardo, the Guadalajara cartel formed partnerships with Colombian organisations and turned Mexico into a major cocaine transit route to the United States, using infrastructure already established for marijuana and heroin.

State of the evidence

Documented

After several decades of proceedings, a Mexican court sentenced Félix Gallardo to 37 years' imprisonment for his responsibility in the murders of Enrique Camarena and pilot Alfredo Zavala.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Accused

Camarena was abducted on 7 February 1985 while investigating the Guadalajara network; pilot Alfredo Zavala was also abducted. Both men were tortured and killed. Félix Gallardo was eventually convicted in Mexico for their murders.

Attribution

Accused