Northern Sonora state is just north of what is known as Mexico's "Golden Triangle," a region of the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains responsible for high levels of drug production, particularly marijuana . The majority of drug shipments reportedly arrive in Puerto Penasco. From there, shipments are either taken east to border crossings in Agua Prieta, Sonoyta, San Luis Rio Colorado and Nogales, or they are simply shipped by foot north through the desert, where there is comparatively less law enforcement. Northern Sonora state, Mexico The Sinaloa Federation gained control of northern Sonora state after supplanting the now-defunct Beltran Leyva Organization in 2010. But the sparsely populated region requires only a few Sinaloa Federation members to oversee operations. Sinaloa lieutenants manage local, independent criminal organizations for trafficking marijuana, while more lucrative drugs go to points of entry such as Ciudad Juarez and Tijuana, with more Sinaloa oversight.