Jorge Humberto Figueroa, a high-ranking leader in Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel known as “El Perris,” was killed Friday during a military operation aimed at arresting him, Mexican authorities announced Saturday. Figueroa, long pursued by U.S. authorities for fentanyl trafficking and money laundering, had a $1 million bounty on his head from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The raid occurred in Sinaloa, a state gripped by violent infighting between rival factions of the powerful Sinaloa cartel. Since September, this internal war has claimed around 1,200 lives. Figueroa was reportedly the head of security for the faction led by the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, known as Los Chapitos. These siblings have been locked in a brutal conflict with followers of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, El Chapo’s former ally and co-founder of the cartel, who was arrested in a 2024 U.S. sting operation.

Figueroa was also identified as one of the architects of the infamous 2019 Culiacán siege, during which cartel gunmen forced Mexican authorities to release Ovidio Guzmán, El Chapo’s son, after his arrest sparked violent retaliation. Ovidio was re-arrested in 2023 and extradited to the U.S., where he now awaits trial.

In a further twist, Mexican authorities recently confirmed that 17 relatives of cartel leaders — including El Chapo’s ex-wife Griselda López Pérez and their daughter — entered the U.S. under a deal reportedly negotiated with the Trump administration. The agreement has raised eyebrows given its timing amid ongoing cartel violence and high-profile arrests.

The death of Figueroa marks a significant blow to the Chapitos faction, which has gained notoriety for its extreme brutality. A 2023 U.S. indictment detailed gruesome acts by the group, including torture methods involving corkscrews, electric shocks, and even feeding victims to tigers.

As Mexico’s cartel wars escalate, Figueroa’s death may signal a shift in the balance of power — or risk sparking further bloodshed in an already volatile conflict.