Carlos Arellano Félix

Carlos Alberto Arellano Félix (born August 20, 1955) is a Mexican medical doctor who is known for his illegal involvement in money laundering for the Tijuana Cartel. Carlos was born on the 20th of August in the year 1955 in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa. Historian Paul Eiss states that Culiacán is the origin of modern drug trafficking and the home of Mexico's most powerful drug cartel. Carlos is currently working as a licensed surgeon. Despite Carlos’ involvement in money laundering for the Tijuana Cartel, he is one of two brothers who remains free and is not wanted by the United States law enforcement. Sinaloa and Culiacán in particular are commonly associated with the values and the aesthetics of drug dealers.

Family Carlos Arellano Félix's family is composed of seven brothers and four sisters who were brought up in the city of Culiacán. Carlos’ sisters, Enedina and Alicia, are also involved in the organisation's illegal activities. Carlos' nephews, Fabian Arellano Corona and Javier Benjamin Briseño Arellano are also a part of the Tijuana Cartel. Due to Carlos’ family's illegal acts, Mexican prosecutors were pursuing superior Mexican traffickers, including the Arellano family and close associates. He ordered several kidnappings and murders and directed the extensive corruption of law enforcement and military personnel in Mexico.

The Tijuana Cartel The drug trafficking organisation that Carlos is predominantly known for is the Tijuana Cartel. Carlos and many of his immediate and external family members were involved in illegal activity through the organisation. The Arellano's who were involved in the organisation were described as 'reasonable business men' by some individuals who trafficked through their territory. The cartel terrorised the Southwest border and beyond with executions, torture, beheadings, kidnappings, and bribes to law enforcement, military personnel, and government officials Miguel's arrest marked the end of the Pax Padrino period and the beginning of the “territorialising” period of the organisation. After Miguel's arrest in 1989, the organisation was passed down to Carlos and his family members. Carlos' brother Benjamín Arellano-Felix took leadership of the Arellano-Felix organisation. Soon after, conflict began between Chapo Guzmán and the Arellano Felix Organisation, with killings between the two occurring in 1991. They attempted to reconcile their conflict in November 1992, however, Chapo struck an attack the following day. In 1993 the Arellano Felix Organisation recruited hit men who assassinated Cardinal Juan Jesús Posadas Ocampo when attempting to kill Chapo causing a significant crisis for the Arellano's. As a response, they began bribing high-level Mexican government officials to minimise the government response which starved their profits. This led to their involvement in kidnapping to increase profits. From 1993 to 1995 Carlos' brothers Benjamín and Ramón were lying low outside Tijuana and the organisation was left to Ismael Higuera Guerrero. The 2000s, represented the beginning of the success of US–Mexican law enforcement decapitation strategies following the arrests of the cartel's significant leaders, El Chuy and El Mayel. Despite Carlos' brother Ramon's death and his brother Benjamin's arrest in 2002, the organisation stayed resilient. However, the arrest of chief, Javier Arellano Félix in August 2006 led the cartel to fall greatly. Between 2006 and 2008, El Ingeniero, the son of Norma Isabel Arellano, symbolised a new generation of leadership for the organisation and a fundamental restructuring of the drug network.

The Tijuana Cartel Today Excluding Carlos, the Tijuana Cartel has lost almost all of its first-generation, superior leadership members to either death or arrest. Since its peak during the 1990s and early 2000s, the Tijuana Cartel has weakened significantly. The arrests and deaths of Carlos’ family members and constant attacks and conflicts negatively affected the organisation. However, in spite of recent contradictory statements by United States authorities, the organisation currently remains active and alive in Tijuana thought to be powerful enough to charge “piso” or tax for shipping drugs through controlled areas. Currently, the organisation primarily operates on the US-Mexico border, Tijuana in namesake city located on the US-Mexico border which is a desired location for smuggling drugs into Southern California. Presently, Carlos' sisters Enedina Arellano Felix and Alicia Arellano Félix alongside Carlos' nephew Luis Fernando Sánchez Arellano lead the Tijuana Cartel. There have been suspicions that the Cartel is forming a truce with former rival the Sinaloa Cartel. However, new reports suggest that the two cartels may be competing again. Although Carlos is presently known to be a licensed surgeon and is unwanted, there are suspicions that he continues to allegedly organise the importation of narcotics into the United States for the Tijuana Cartel.

Carlos Arellano’s freedom Between 2000 and 2010, the Tijuana Cartel lost almost all of its first-generation and highest leadership members to either arrest or death. However, there are two Arellano Félix brothers who still remain free; Carlos and his brother Luis Fernando Arellano Félix. Both brothers remain free in Mexico with no criminal charges or indictments and are not wanted by United States law enforcement. Despite Carlos’ alleged involvement in money laundering done through multiple companies in central Mexico for the Tijuana Cartel, he went to the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara and is currently working as a licensed surgeon. He had formerly been indicted in the United States with many of his other brothers, however was subsequently released from the 1989 indictment which has led to his current freedom.