The life of José Rodrigo Aréchiga Gamboaknown as The Chinese Anthraxremains an enigma for many. Although his name is linked to the power and violence of Sinaloa Cartelnumerous aspects of its history remain hidden.
Now, a man who claims to be his nephew, identified only as The Chuncohas offered unpublished details in an interview with the youtuber GAFE423. From his childhood in Culiacán and his relationship with the Zambada family, to his military training, the creation of The Anthrax and its tragic end, the interviewee tells a story that reveals the complexity of the figure of Aréchiga Gamboa.
According to The ChuncoRodrigo Aréchiga Gamboa was not born into opulence or a privileged environment. He grew up in a lower-middle class neighborhood in Culiacan, Sinaloawhere his family did not live in extreme poverty, but did not enjoy luxuries either.
Since he was little, El Chino Ántrax attended public schools and, like many children in his neighborhood, walked or took public transportation to get around. The link between Aréchiga Gamboa and the family Zambada was formed in childhood.
According to the interviewee, Vicente Zambada Nieblabetter known as “El Vicentillo” and son of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambadalived just three houses away. The two began a friendship that developed during their childhood and adolescence. They played soccer in the street and spent time together. According to the interviewee, although “El Vicentillo” belonged to a high-power family within the Sinaloa CartelDuring those years his childhood life seemed somewhat normal.
Before getting involved in drug trafficking, The Chinese Anthrax tried to establish a legitimate business. His father helped him start a small mobile food stand. hamburgers and hot dogs in the streets of Culiacán. However, this project quickly failed, according to his nephew.
Shortly after, “El Chino Ántrax” started working washing cars at the Zambada house. Fascinated by the luxury vehicles he saw there—Chrysler 300 and other exclusive models of the time—he decided to get closer to the family.
Aréchiga Gamboa did not enter directly as a hitman or escort, as many think, he stated. His first job within the Sinaloa Cartel It was like a car wash. Subsequently, his interest in weapons, which he had already expressed since his youth, led him to gain the trust of his employers.
After a while, he was promoted to personal escort of Vicente Zambada. It was at that time that he received his first pistol: a .38 Super Model 1911which he later personalized and baptized as “La Súper Ántrax”. The weapon, encrusted with diamonds and detailed with skulls, symbolized his rise within the organization.
According to his relative, who claims that he is a distant nephew and is not involved in any criminal group, before being known as The Chinese Anthrax His uncle used another nickname among his closest circle: The Alone.
This name arose from his habit of walking the streets alone and acting independently even when he was involved with gangs during his youth. According to The Chuncoin a vacant lot in Culiacán there is still graffiti signed by him that simply says “Alone”, although the interviewee did not share the exact location.
After his promotion as an escort, Rodrigo Arechiga received specialized training to confront the cartel’s enemies, mainly the rival group known as The Zetaswho stood out for their level of organization and military training. According to the nephew, “El Chino Ántrax” received training in military tactics, close combat (CQB), use of long-range weapons and selective shooting.
This training was given by former members of the Federal Policemilitary and other Mexican armed forces. Furthermore, Aréchiga would have been instructed by someone with ties to the School of the Americasa US military training center known for training elite Latin American forces.
In 2008, after years of preparation, ““The Chinese Anthrax” created the armed wing known as The Anthraxwith the aim of protecting the Zambada family and the plazas controlled by the Cartel in Sinaloa. The initial group was made up of 11 menincluding José Rodrigo and his trusted circle, many of them recruited from local gangs. According to the interviewee, Los Ántrax were subjected to “express” training for one to three months, although the leader himself trained for more than a year before taking the reins of the group.
The main mission of Los Ántrax was to eliminate any rival group that threatened the cartel’s operations. His brutality was evidenced in multiple public executions and narco-messages, many of which were signed with his name.
According to the alleged nephew of The Chinese Anthraxthe number 5 It was an important symbol in the life of Rodrigo Aréchiga Gamboa. Although it is not clear if he believed in numerology, this number constantly appeared in his life and marked him deeply. The interviewee explained that his nickname “Chino” has five letters and that this detail influenced his decision to use the code. “5″ as identification within the organization. He also mentioned that the pistol he valued most, a FN Herstal Five-Sevenbegan with the number five in its name, which reinforces its connection with this symbol.
During the interview, The Chunco recounted a tragic incident involving a group of four young people who made up a unauthorized run about The Chinese Anthrax and its organization. According to the interviewee, these young people, who apparently had access to radios used by the cartel, listened to conversations between its members and knew internal details, such as communication codes, office locations and specific events that should never have been public.
Without authorization from the cartel, the young people composed a corrido that revealed sensitive information, including passwords, nicknames and details of the group’s operations. Although the corrido was never officially released, it was briefly published on sites such as Ares or local music pages, which led to the organization retaliating.
According to The Chuncothe consequences were fatal: the four young people were murdered, and their bodies appeared in a canal in a neighborhood in Culiacán. While he could not directly confirm who gave the order, he noted that it was likely his uncle, as the corrido’s actions posed a risk to the organization’s security.
In December 2013, Rodrigo Aréchiga was detained at the airport in Schipholin AmsterdamNetherlands, by an operation of the Interpol. According to The Chuncothis capture was the result of a “dedazo” or denunciation, since the authorities were already waiting for him at the scene. He was extradited to the United States, where he was charged with money laundering and illegal acquisition of assets.
The nephew denies speculation that Aréchiga Gamboa entered the program protected witnesses. He explained that although some believed he collaborated with the US government, this was not the case. He served part of his sentence under house arrest thanks to a program called Halfway Homenot being considered a violent criminal.
After serving part of his sentence, The Chinese Anthrax illegally returned to Mexico, although the reasons behind this decision are unclear. The Chunco He assures that his uncle was not killed out of betrayal, but out of fear that he would regain control of his group and become a threat again. In May 2020, his body was found along with that of his sister and brother-in-law in a van in Culiacan. They had been murdered after being kidnapped.
The nephew said that the death of Rodrigo Aréchiga was a devastating blow for his family. The Chunco He described receiving the news as “heartbreaking,” although he admits that they always knew that the life his uncle was leading only had two possible destinations: the prison or the pantheon. He also lamented the collateral effects of his death, such as the deterioration of security in Culiacán and the increase in violence after the dissolution of Los Ántrax.
Yet, The Chunco He stated that he was never tempted to follow in his uncle’s footsteps. He noted that the material gains never justified the risk to his life and that of his family. “My uncle supported many people, but he also carried a history of violence that is not something that makes me proud,” he concluded.
