Francisco Javier Arellano Félix

Francisco Javier Arellano Félix
Félix being escorted by the DEA
Born (1969-12-11) December 11, 1969
Other namesEl Tigrillo
Criminal chargeOrganized crime, money laundering
PenaltyLife imprisonment; commuted to 23 1/2 years imprisonment

Francisco Javier Arellano Félix (born 11 December 1969) is a former Mexican drug lord who alongside his brothers founded and led the Tijuana Cartel (a.k.a. the Arellano-Félix Organization) until his capture by the United States Coast Guard on August 16, 2006.

The Tijuana Cartel used to be one of the largest Mexican drug cartels. It is well known for its employment of enforcers recruited from Mexican and San Diego street gangs. In addition to enforcers, many Latin American street gangsters were trained to become assassins in the cartel, which has a reputation for extreme brutality and violence. At its height in the late 1990s, the cartel was believed to be responsible for supplying nearly half the cocaine sold in the United States.

The gang made headlines in January 2006 after it was discovered they had dug tunnels from Tijuana, Baja California, into the United States at Otay Mesa, California.