This is how Things are in Sonora

By Buggs for Borderland Beat

The murders in Sonora increased by 60% in 2020, after the bloody war that this northern state is experiencing. 

Just this last month of July in Ciudad Obregon reached up to 21 executions in just 5 days after the end of the month, it was a quiet month relatively speaking but it adds to the hundreds of executions in the city. Obregon joins Caborca, Hermosillo, Empalme, Guaymas, Etchojoa, Huatabampo and Navojoa in the wave of homicides related to criminal cartel activities.

In Obregon this weekend the businessman and owner of the restaurant "La Palapa del Bucanero" was executed. Sergio Meraz Reyes was shot to death inside his vehicle. He was known in the business and social circles in the local community.

Commander of the police in Hermosillo Jesús Martín Miranda Martínez

In Hermosillo, municipal police commander Jesus Martin Miranda Martinez was executed, and his partner, also a municipal officer, was abducted by an armed commando.

The war continues Paez/Cartel de Caborca/Barredora vs Costeños/Cazadores:

In Caborca, Costa de Caborca and Altar, operations and seizures continue. There were reports of gunfire in the Colonia Bonito where local authorities were seen guarding and searching a residence.

There was also the execution that was carried out within the organization, rather a settling of scores (ajuste de cuentas). It was carried out inside the home of Juan Martinez Miranda "El Barbas" alleged member of Barredora 24/7. There were talks of heated arguments he held against another operator of the organization nicknamed "El Canton." 

In an attempt to quell these fights an audio came to light where it is said that the El Barbas was going to relieve El Canton of his position in the organization. In the same audio there is talk of support for El Barbas to take over the operation in Caborca, where El Barbas claim El Canton lacks efficiency for allowing the attack on the organization. He is talking about when La Barredora was seen in a convoy of the salazars who are loyal to the Sinaloa cartel, who entered the region and conducted a series of attacks. In this case the El Canton was responsible for the security and surveillance of the city. El Barbas was surprised an attack inside his home by a group of sicarios and was executed along with another person.

Arrested the lugarteniente of the group los Costeños/Rumas in Caborca

The truck where El Llavero was travelling

Raul Trejo Martinez "El Llavero" who belongs to Los Costeños or Rumas was arrested on July 26 along with 3 of his sicarios. El Llavero is responsible for the organization's sicarios on the coast of Caborca and has been identified as the person responsible for the execution and subsequent dismemberment of several bodies found on Los Mechudos bridge on highway 15. El Llavero was a lieutenant along with the "Jeremias" who was killed in a confrontation in Y Griega last year along with 3 companions on board a gray Tacoma.

The death of El Jeremias of Los Costeños/Rumas killed in a confrontation.

In recent days a narcomanta was found on the elevated bridge of Quiroz Street and Mora on the international highway in Caborca, where they write about a possible relationship of federal authorities with the group of Rodrigo Paez Quintero, in which high command of the army is accused of collusion among them the brigade of Nogales Jose Luis Valdez Chavez and also the Colonel in San Luis Rio Colorado David Alejandro Trejo Flores. They also accuse the national guard and state police of supporting the criminal group led by Rodrigo Paez.

Two people were also found executed in different places in Caborca, who were taxi drivers. One of them was found with a narco-message that said the following: 

"This will happen to all the people or the taxi drivers of El Ruco or who support or move people, armament or informants or bring groceries to Los Cazadores, Costeños and others."

Taxi driver killed

There was a confrontation on Tuesday, July 14 in Pitiquito, the outrageous thing was that there were calls to the authorities, but no one responded.

The fight of Gigio and El Cazador continues ...

Several confrontations were reported in the areas surrounding Magdalena. On July 24 there was a confrontation in San Ignacio, in the community of Tasicuri and the federal highway 4, after the confrontation several weapons and vehicles were abandoned.

Eduardo Santamaria killed in crossfire.

The day before, a 19-year-old young man was shot and killed by unknown assailants who were opening fire on other vehicles on the street. Eduardo Santamaria was killed from the injuries he sustained in the crossfire while he was dropping off his girlfriend, it was reported as an execution of an innocent man.

On July 20, there was also a confrontation in the same area on the Magdalena-Cucurpe highway section where a dead man was found and in a second confrontation two more people were killed, as well as weapons and vehicles impacted by rounds during the confrontation.

In addition, two more bodies were found in the side of the street by the mothers who search for bodies of loved ones (Madres Buscadoras de Sonora)  in Sonora on July 19 on the Magdalena highway - in a farming community called Cebolla. 

There were a rash of auto thefts by armed sicarios in the VIP gas station in Santa Ana.

One more chapter of the war waged by "El 20" and "El 6-3 who are people of El Gigio and by "El Durango" boss of sicarios for El Cazador.

La Linea vs Gente Nueva...

After the execution of Edgar Alonso Villegas Sarrazin, "El H" of the Salazars in Hermosillo and the death of the brothers Elizaldo and Eleazar Bournes Gonzalez also brothers of Ever and Noe Bournes Gonzalez, known as El Aguila and El 500, both leaders of drug trafficking organization in the Chihuahua and Sonora region.

Joining the list of hits by authorities is the arrest of Gildardo Palomino Nieblas "El G3", already prosecuted in the state of Mexico by a judge and held in the maximum-security prison in the Altiplano. He was arrested in Nuevo Casas Grandes who is accused of organized crime and for his possible participation in the Lebaron case in Bavispe, Sonora.

This goes along with an increase of military operations in the mountainous areas of Chihuahua, as well as drug seizures on the border of Sonora and Chihuahua. It is also said that these operations are directed against the "El Jaguar," lieutenant of the organization of Los Paredes of Agua Prieta and as well as "El 32" of La Linea in Chihuahua.

It is expected that after this in August we see a rebound in violence in different sectors of Sonora and Chihuahua that is expected after the reorganization by both groups.

So things in Sonora are in step to become the new Guanajuato.