SUMMARY

The Gulf Cartel – Dragones de Sheyla faction is a splinter group from the Gulf Cartel, named after its leader Arturo "El Sheyla" Garza Treviño. The Gulf Cartel is made up of numerous factions and gangs, and the Dragones de Sheyla faction fought against another such faction during a few months in 2014.

The leader and creator of the Dragones de Sheyla faction, Arturo "El Sheyla" Garza Treviño have previously been trained by former soldiers in Sinaloa state and have since 2010 been one of the Gulf leaders in charge of the fighting with Los Zetas in the Tampico area of Tamaulipas state. Tamaulipas is located along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico to east in Mexico. The state also borders the United States in the north which makes it an important transit route for drug trade. Tamaulipas have traditionally been part of the Gulf Cartel territory but have been increasingly challenged by Los Zetas over the years past.

Garza Treviño and his group have reportedly been loyal to and backed by a larger Gulf Cartel group called Los Ciclones based in Matamoros town.

The Gulf Cartel – Dragones de Sheyla faction has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.