Miguel Angel Treviño, alias “Z40,” was a top commander of the Zetas criminal organization in Mexico before his capture by Mexican Marines on July 15, 2013. He was transferred to the United States in February 2025.
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Recent Z40 News
July 10, 2026 — Former Zetas Leaders to Face Trial in the United States
Miguel Ángel and Omar Treviño Morales, alias “Z40” and “Z42,” former leaders of the notoriously violent Mexican criminal group known as the Zetas, appeared before a federal court in Washington, D.C. Both men face charges of racketeering, drug trafficking, weapons offenses, and money laundering during their time in Mexico’s underworld, and both pleaded not guilty. During the hearing, prosecutors proposed that the trial begin in 2028, while the defense requested additional time to review the evidence in the case. A trial date has not yet been set. The next status hearing is scheduled for September 10, 2026.
What is Z40’s Story?
Z40 was one of the first to join the Gulf Cartel’s security arm, the Zetas. When Zetas commander Arturo Guzman Decena was killed in 2002, he rose through the ranks.
In July 2012, the Zetas reportedly split into two factions, one side headed by Z40, the other by Heriberto Lazcano, alias “Z3.” The rival capos each accused the other of betrayal and became embroiled in a bitter and violent power struggle. In October 2012, Mexican security forces reported shooting and killing Z3, leaving Treviño as the most senior Zetas commander. In October 2012, a Zetas splinter group comprised of opponents of Z40 announced they had formed a new group, Los Legionarios (the Legionaries), with the express purpose of waging war against Z40 and his organization.
Treviño worked to consolidate his hold over his Zetas. However, he was captured in July 2013 in Anahuac, a town southwest of Nuevo Laredo. He was transferred into US custody in February 2025 and is currently jailed there.
What Crimes Was Z40 Involved in?
Around 2007, Z40 was sent to Veracruz following the death of a high-ranking member of the group. He took control of that drug trafficking corridor connecting to the US-Mexico border, while simultaneously taking over other illicit economies such as trade in pirated DVDs and CDs, and human trafficking.
Later, he was put in charge of supervising the border crossing of Nuevo Laredo, where the Zetas collected taxes from various illicit actors who trafficked goods across the border. According to US authorities, Z40 continued to operate from prison, leading the Northeast Cartel, a faction of the Zetas that continues to operate in Nuevo Laredo after the group’s disintegration.
Several of his family members also became involved in crime. His brother and uncle allegedly laundered money on the Zetas’ behalf in the United States, using a horse-breeding company as a cover-up. They were captured after a raid in the United States in 2012.
Where Did Z40 Operate?
Z40 was once the “plaza” boss in Nuevo Laredo, the Zetas’ longtime base of operations. He is also thought to have run the Zetas’ operations in Guatemala, where the group had established temporary bases in the northern departments of Peten and Alta Verapaz.
Since 2015, Z40 allegedly continued to oversee the activities of the Northeast Cartel in Nuevo Laredo from prison.
Who Were Z40’s Allies and Enemies?
Los Zetas’ main rivals were with their parent organization, the Gulf Cartel, and with the Sinaloa Cartel. However, the group suffered several internal fractures.
A Zetas splinter group known as the Legionaries, for example, was created in 2012 with the mission of killing Z40 and those aligned with him. Before his extradition to the United States in 2025, Z40 allegedly oversaw the Northeast Cartel’s operations from prison. This group clashed with other splinter groups of the Zetas and the Jalisco Cartel New Generation (Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación – CJNG).
What is Z40’s Outlook?
Z40 is currently jailed in the United States on drug trafficking, weapons possession, and money laundering charges that could lead to a life sentence. He pleaded not guilty to these charges alongside his brother Omar Treviño Morales, alias “Z42.” The case will go to trial, although a date has not yet been set.
