Mexican Drug Cartel Boss ‘El Chabelo’ Killed In A Shooutout With Police

Jose “El Chabelo” Isabel, a notorious leader of the Sinaloa Cartel in Manzanillo, Mexico, was killed in a shootout with police following a violent incident at a local cockfight. The incident happened on December 15 when Isabel and his associates stormed a clandestine cockfighting arena in Manzanillo’s Las Parotas neighbourhood, resulting in two deaths and multiple injuries. As they attempted to flee, Mexican national police caught up with them, leading to a gun battle that left Isabel and an accomplice dead, Spanish-language news outlet Excelsior. reported. 

Isabel was already wanted for homicide before this incident. The state of Colima, where Manzanillo is located, has a high homicide rate, with 623 murders reported between January and October 2024, equating to 105 killings per 100,000 residents, significantly higher than the national average in Mexico.

Prosecutors in Colima have not released details on the victims other than to identify Isabel among them.

The Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful drug trafficking organizations, has been involved in numerous violent confrontations as it battles for control over lucrative smuggling routes. The death of a plaza boss like ‘El Chabelo’ may lead to shifts in the local power dynamics within the cartel, potentially resulting in further violence as rivals vie for his position.