SUMMARY
The Independent Cartel of Acapulco is one of the medium sized drug trafficking cartels in Mexico battling other cartels for control over territory and smuggling routes.
The Independent Cartel of Acapulco has its roots in the breakup of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel in 2010. Following the arrest of Arturo Beltrán Leyva, the Beltrán Leyva Cartel’s boss, the cartel initially split into two groups, one controlled by Héctor Beltrán Leyva, Arturo’s brother, the other group controlled by Edgar “La Barbie” Valdes Villareal. These two cartels fought a brief conflict for control over the Beltrán Leyva Cartel (see 2010 conflict, (Beltrán Leyva Cartel - Valdez Villareal faction).
The Independent Cartel of Acapulco was formed following the break-up of the Edgar “La Barbie” Valdes Villareal led faction following his arrest on August 30, 2010. The cartel was formerly led by Gilberto Castrejon Morales (captured on December 5, 2011) and active in the city and surrounding region of Acapulco.
In addition to drug trafficking and murder the cartel was also allegedly responsible for extorting local businesses in the Acapulco area.
The cartel fought the Barredora Cartel, itself another splinter group of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel, beginning in 2011 for the control of Acapulco’s drug trafficking routes. The conflict resulted in the cartel’s weakening by the end of that year. However, the conflict between the Cartel Independiente de Acapulco and the Barredora Cartel reignited in 2015 which lead to a significant increase of the drug related homicides that took place in Acapulco.
By 2016 several other cartels had made advantages into Acapulco and the violence became too intricate to be able to ascribe it to certain dyads. However, it was still clear that the Cartel Independiente de Acapulco continued to have a certain level of control over Acapulco's drug trade and a heavy involvement in the violence that took place in the area.
Cartel Independiente de Acapulco has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.
