The capture of Ramón Álvarez Ayala, known as “R1,” did not mark the end of the criminal structure he led in Michoacán and Jalisco. Following his arrest in late July, Mexican authorities identified his brother, Rafael Álvarez Ayala (“R2”), as the alleged successor at the helm of “Los Rs,” a cell linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
This leadership reshuffle came to light this week through an indictment filed in a federal court in Washington. A District of Columbia grand jury charged both brothers with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine for importation into the United States, as well as firearms-related offenses. If convicted, each faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years in prison and a maximum of two consecutive life sentences.
The US indictment covers activities allegedly spanning from 2004 to December 2023, placing the brothers within a drug trafficking structure that US authorities have documented as operating for nearly two decades.
