10 Ruthless Female Narcos

10 Ruthless Female Narcos

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at the most infamous female narcos, ranging from assassins, to money launders, to cartel bosses.

Griselda Blanco

Some called her the Cocaine Godmother. Others dubbed her the Black Widow, a title attributed to the deaths of her three husbands. The name Griselda alone was enough to intimate anyone, which allegedly included Pablo Escobar. Before she was even a teenager, Blanco was linked to kidnapping and murder. Blanco only got more blood on her hands as she became a leading figure in the Miami drug war. It’d take the authorities nearly a decade to arrest Blanco. While Blanco could’ve been responsible for over 200 deaths, most of them didn’t factor into the charges against her. Released and deported in 2004 due to health issues, Blanco survived another eight years before she was gunned down by a motorcyclist - a move from her own playbook.

Sebastiana Cottón Vásquez

Growing up in Guatemala near the border of Mexico, Cottón Vásquez was abducted and forced into marriage by the time she was eighteen. After her cruel husband left, she provided for her five children by selling illegal goods. Cottón Vásquez’s second husband was Juan Alberto Ortiz López, a drug lord whom she inherited the business from. Gaining ties to Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, Cottón Vásquez became known for her violent tendencies and taking on a hands-on role in trafficking. The former peasant reportedly moved 40 tons of cocaine between Central America and North America before being captured in 2014. Cottón Vásquez regained her freedom by supplying testimony that would put away fellow narcos, supposedly returning to her hometown of Malacatán.

Sandra Ávila Beltrán

“Queenpin” is a term that can be applied to many women, but there’s only one “Queen of the Pacific.” Where Griselda Blanco and Sebastiana Cottón Vásquez essentially came from nothing, Sandra Ávila Beltrán was born into the drug world. She shares family ties with Rafael Caro Quintero and Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, co-founders of the Guadalajara Cartel. Don’t call her a “nepo narco,” though. This drug lord ascended to the top of the cartel world, commanding ships that smuggled tons of cocaine between Mexico’s Pacific coast and North America - hence the Queen of the Pacific title. After being arrested in 2007 and extradited to the U.S. five years later, Ávila Beltrán was released in 2015. She currently resides in Guadalajara a free woman.

Enedina Arellano Félix

Enedina Arellano Félix is another drug queenpin who has kept it in the family. Along with her six brothers, Félix became synonymous with the Tijuana Cartel. Initially, money laundering and finances were Félix’s areas of expertise. After her brother Eduardo was arrested in 2008, Enedina stepped up as the organization’s head. Enedina’s tactics might be more business-oriented than her brothers’, who were more prone to violence. Of course, nobody becomes the leader of a cartel without being ruthless. As journalist Javier Valdez said, “The women who rise high in it are very rare. They have to be extremely intelligent, talented, and brave.” Enedina Arellano Félix is a prime example, making connections with other prominent traffickers while keeping the authorities at a distance.

Melissa Margarita Calderón Ojeda

Where Enedina Arellano Félix has taken a fairly peaceful approach, Melissa Calderon is as violent as they come. By the time she was in her 20s, this Mexican native had joined the Sinaloa Cartel, eventually becoming the head of its subdivision, the Damaso Cartel. Following the death of her boyfriend, Calderon lost this position to Sergio Villarreal Barragán, aka El Grande. Unwilling to take this lying down, Calderon teamed with another boyfriend, Hector Pedro Camarena Gómez. Adopting the names La China and El Chino, the couple commanded an army of killers known as Las Fuerzas Especiales de Los Dámaso. More than 150 deaths have been traced to Calderon, who led an estimated 300 sicarios before her capture in 2015 and subsequent incarceration.

Digna Asusena Valle

Earning the alias “Doña Digna,” Valle came from a notorious drug trafficking family. Every month, they transported cocaine said to be worth tens of thousands. Locals feared Valle’s brothers, who were known for capturing and assaulting women. Valle herself was every bit as callous, believing anyone who knew too much about her family should be killed. At the same time, Valle and her family commanded respect throughout their community. In exchange, Valle supplied security and jobs with limitless wealth at her disposal. After Valle was arrested while visiting Miami in 2014, her brothers unsuccessfully plotted to assassinate the President of Honduras for failing to protect them. Valle ultimately pleaded guilty to drug tracking, although she’d serve a little over half of her 10-year sentence.

María Guadalupe López Esquivel

This cartel boss gained a reputation for being as alluring as she was lethal. Esquivel joined the New Generation Cartel in 2017 upon entering a romantic relationship with fellow member Miguel “El M2” Fernandez. It didn’t take long for Esquivel to climb up the chain of command, becoming much more than an assassin. She was practically a soldier, leading charges against the police, military, and national guard. Esquivel became known as La Catrina, a name linked to the Day of the Dead. Although this spoke to Esquivel’s merciless methods, it also foretold her fate. In January 2020, Esquivel was hit in the neck during a shootout. A helicopter arrived to escort her out of the area, but the 21-year-old died shortly after liftoff.

Marixa & Mayra Lemus

It’s not uncommon for drug traffickers to have government connections. The Lemus sisters had especially close ties, their brother Magno being Mayor of Moyuta. After a heart attack claimed his life in 2009, Mayra stepped in to finish his term. Feared by the community, rumors circled that Mayra murdered her husband, among others. Mayra aspired to remain in office, organizing a campaign in 2011. That same year, Mayra and seven others were gunned down in the massacre at Los Cuernos. Marixa attempted to run in her sister’s place, only to lose. Not long after, Marixa was brought in on kidnapping and murder charges, receiving a 94-year sentence. Keeping her locked up has proven easier said than done, as Marixa successfully escaped twice before being apprehended.

Luz Irene Fajardo Campos

Born in the Mexican city of Cosalá, Fajardo Campos initially had aspirations to be a lawyer. Her career went in a slightly different direction. With drug trafficking being rampant in her hometown, Fajardo Campos was no stranger to this world. Yet, she rose higher than anyone could’ve anticipated, leading a narcotics organization alongside her grown children and forming connections with the Sinaloa cartel. Living up to her title of La Comadre, Fajardo Campos oversaw aircraft that transported substances between borders. Her reign ended in 2017 after she was arrested at a Bogotá airport with her two sons being murdered around the same time. In addition to paying $18 million, Fajardo Campos was sentenced to 22 years in prison with another five years of supervised release.

Joselyn Alejandra Niño

This assassin rose to notoriety in January 2015 when an image of her sporting a large firearm was shared online. The post connected her to the Gulf Cartel, who reportedly gave her the nickname La Flaca, or The Skinny One. The name is also connected to Our Lady of Holy Death. Both descriptions are accurate with Niño proving deadlier than she looked. As the image went viral, users analyzed the backdrop, which didn’t exactly paint the picture of luxury that people associate with high-ranking cartel members. Whether or not this is where Niño lived, her moment in the spotlight didn’t last long. A few months after the image surfaced, what was left of Niño was found in an ice cooler at a Matamoros parking lot.

Can you think of any other female narcos? Let us know in the comments.