2019 in organized crime

In 2019, a number of events took place in organized crime.

Events

March

• March 13 – Frank Cali, head of the Gambino crime family, is shot dead in New York. ^[1]

April

• April 17 – Guatemalan Presidential candidate Mario Estrada is captured in the United States because of his alleged connections with the Sinaloa Cartel. ^[2]

July

• July 17 – Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán is sentenced to life in prison plus thirty years, and is ordered to forfeit US$12.6 billion. ^[3]

August

• August 8 – Jalisco New Generation Cartel massacres 19 people, hanging 9 of their desecrated bodies from a bridge in Uruapan. ^[4]
• August 28 – 28 people are killed in a bar fire in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico, that police believe was caused by an attack by drug cartels. ^[5]

October

• October 14 – Fourteen state police officers are killed in an ambush in Aguililla, Michoacán, Mexico; crime-scene evidence points to the involvement of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. ^[6]
• October 18 –
  • The Mexican National Guard arrests Ovidio Guzmán López, one of former cartel leader Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán's sons, in Culiacán. He is later released after government forces come under intense attack and are overpowered by Sinaloa Cartel gunmen, according to Security Minister Alfonso Durazo. ^[7]
  • According to a later statement, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and government authorities ordered officers to let Guzmán López go free to avoid a "bloodbath" and "preserve the lives of our officers and bring calm back to the city" ^[8]

December

• December 1 – A shootout between police officers and cartel gunmen in Villa Unión, Coahuila, Mexico, leaves at least 21 people dead. ^[9]

Arts and literature

• The Irishman
• Once Upon a Time in London
• Mob Town
• The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil

Deaths

• March 7 – Carmine Persico, 85, American mobster and convicted racketeer, head of Colombo crime family (1973–1990, since 1993). ^[10]
• March 13 – Frank Cali, 53, American mobster, head of Gambino crime family (since 2015). ^[11]
• March 28 – Alphonse D'Arco, 86, American mobster, acting boss of the Lucchese crime family (1990–1991). ^[12]
• May 25 – Anthony Graziano, 78, American consigliere (Bonanno crime family). ^[13]
• June 17 – Somchai Khunpluem, 81, Thai mobster and politician. ^[14]
• July 4 – Héctor Huerta Ríos, Mexican criminal (Beltrán-Leyva Cartel). ^[15]
• July 31 – Martín Arzola Ortega, 42, Mexican convicted drug lord (Jalisco New Generation Cartel). ^[16]
• October 19 – Joseph Lombardo, 90, American mobster, consigliere of the Chicago Outfit. ^[17]
• November 3 – Louis Eppolito, 71, American police officer, mobster and author. ^[18]

See also

• Timeline of the Mexican Drug War
• List of years in organized crime

References

1. "Frank Cali, of New York's Gambino family, is shot dead in New York". BBC News. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
2. "Mario Estrada es detenido en EE. UU. por nexos con el cartel de Sinaloa". Prensa Libre (in Spanish). 17 April 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
3. Mangan, Tucker Higgins,Dan (17 July 2019). "Drug kingpin El Chapo sentenced to life in prison, must forfeit $12.6 billion". CNBC. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
4. Phillips, Tom (8 August 2019). "Mexico cartel hangs bodies from city bridge in grisly show of force". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 6 October 2025.
5. "Mexico bar attack leaves 25 dead". 28 August 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
6. "Fourteen police dead in Mexico gun ambush". 14 October 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
7. "El Chapo: Mexican police free drug lord's son as Culiacán battle erupts". BBC News. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
8. Clarín, Redacción (18 October 2019). "Culiacán: tras la batalla campal, liberan al hijo de El Chapo Guzmán". Clarín (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 October 2025.
9. Graham, Dave (2 December 2019). "Shootings in northern Mexico town kill 20, pile pressure on president". Reuters. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
10. "Carmine 'the Snake' Persico, Colombo crime family boss, dead at age 85". NBC News. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
11. Dickson, Ej (26 March 2019). "Mafia Expert Explains WTF Is Going On With Frank Cali Murder". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
12. "Mob boss who inspired other infamous turncoats dies in witness protection". 29 March 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
13. "Ex-Bonanno consigliere Anthony Graziano dead at 78". 26 May 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
14. Thaitrakulpanich, Asaree; Reporter, Staff (17 June 2019). "Kamnan Poh, 'Godfather of Chonburi,' Dies at 82" . Retrieved 6 October 2025.
15. "Mataron a Héctor Huerta "El HH" o "La Burra" frente a su esposa e hijas, era cercano a los Beltrán Leyva". infobae (in European Spanish). 5 July 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
16. ""El 53" o "El Negro": uno de los muertos en Plaza Galerías de Zapopan sería integrante del CJNG". infobae (in European Spanish). 1 August 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
17. www.dailyherald.com https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20191020/chicago-mobster-joey-the-clown-lombardo-dies-in-prison/ . Retrieved 6 October 2025.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
18. "Louis Eppolito, NYPD cop who did hits for the mob, dead at 71". 5 November 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2025.