SUMMARY
Los Ardillos, “the Squirrels”, was a criminal organization based in Guerrero State, Mexico. The group has its origins in the Beltrán Leyva Cartel, and Los Ardillos was one of several groups that splintered from the cartel in the period following the death of its leader, Arturo Beltrán Leyva, in 2009.
The group was formed by Celso Ortega Rosas “El Ardilla” in 2008, who was arrested later the same year. Two of his sons, Celso and Iván Ortega Jiménez, took over the leadership following the arrest of their father. Upon his release three years later he was immediately killed by rival group Los Rojos. Several members of the family in charge of Los Ardillos have been involved in both local and regional politics.
Los Ardillos was initially a small criminal organization that mainly gained an income from drug trafficking and extortion of the local population. However, since early 2014, the group has expanded its area of influence into other municipalities of Guerrero state where opium poppies are grown for the production of heroin. The cartel was dedicated to the planting of poppy, the collection of fees (pago de piso), piracy and kidnapping. Their main activity was the cultivation and transport of drugs. Besides heroin production, the group profited from illegal mining, which frequently led to violent attacks on indigenous communities, in efforts to maintain control over the area. In addition, Los Ardillos have been conducting extortions and kidnappings as well as trafficking of cocaine and other illicit drugs.
The cartel operated in the Mountain Regions and downtown Guerrero, in particular the municipalities of Chilapa de Álvarez, Zitlala, Mártir de Cuilapan and Tixtla, located in the Montaña Alta, and well as the central area of the state. Los Ardillos’ territory did not expand further than Guerrero.
Los Ardillos have been said to have alliances with several larger cartels in the country, such as La Nueva Familia Michoacana, as well as Jalisco Cartel New Generation.
The main rival of Los Ardillos was another splinter of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel, namely Los Rojos. The groups fought an almost decade-long turf war in Guerrero, constantly maintaining armed confrontations against one another.
Los Ardillos has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP violence.
