By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat
The Mexican Army seized five vehicles during a raid on a property used as a workshop creating improvised armored vehicles in Guasave, Sinaloa last Friday.
Monday, September 28, 2026
Federal Operation Targets Los Metros Illicit Fuel Operations
By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat
Over the weekend, Mexican federal forces conducted 19 raids across three states in one of the most significant blows to the illicit fuel operations of Los Metros so far this year.
Thursday, September 24, 2026
US Special Forces, DEA & Ecuador's Police Dismantle CJNG Linked Network
"Socalj" for Borderland Beat
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US troops and the DEA helped Ecuador dismantle a CJNG cell, arresting more than 30 members, Ecuador's interior minister said Thursday. Over 30 Ecuadorans were arrested for allegedly belonging to the group with a direct connection to the CJNG.
Around 320 Ecuadoran police officers and 50 uniformed soldiers from the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) took part in the operation spanning several cities across Ecuador. US military personnel included US Army Green Berets and US Marine Raiders (MARSOC).
We’ve Got Something Special For You Motherfuckers
“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat
So what if some of the members from the Mayiza mob like to have gay sex with each other. In the grand scheme of things what they do in privacy is their business.
None of that matters now. When you stack it up against their latest video all of those homoerotic moves they pulled go out the window.
After what seems like so long they finally managed to capture several Chapiza operatives. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill shooters either.
The enslaved men are rapists. Under questioning and with shame in his voice, a captive talks about some thirteen-year-old girls they abducted and violated.
Source: Anonymous
El Kamoni of the Cartel de Tepalcatepec Arrested in Tepalcatepec, Michoacán
By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat
Today, Mexican authorities arrested Edgar Valeriano 'N', alias “Kamoni”, the alleged regional head of the Tepalcatepec cartel in the municipalities of Tepalcatepec and Buenavista, Michoacán.
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
“Don Flaco,” High-Ranking Mayito Flaco Operator, Arrested in Mexico City
On September 22, 2026, José Ángel Rivera Zazueta, a.k.a. “Don Flaco,” was arrested in the Condesa neighborhood of Mexico City's Cuauhtémoc borough. The operation was carried out by the Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), in coordination with the Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana (SSPC), based on information and support from U.S. agencies, particularly the DEA and FBI.
Rivera Zazueta had already drawn the attention of U.S. authorities. In 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated him as the leader of a drug-manufacturing and trafficking organization based in Culiacán, Sinaloa, and Mexico City.
Rivera Zazueta's criminal network reportedly operated globally, with nodes across the United States, Mexico, South and Central America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. According to an investigation by journalist Anabel Hernández, the network also moved between 500 and 800 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia each week.
Rivera Zazueta's network illustrates how synthetic-drug production can operate as an international supply chain. Chemical suppliers in China provide precursors used to manufacture synthetic drugs, including fentanyl, MDMA, crystal methamphetamine, 2C-B, and ketamine. Other nodes move these chemicals into Mexico, where specialized laboratories convert them into synthetic drugs. Trafficking networks then move the finished products across the U.S. border, where wholesale distributors and local criminal groups handle domestic distribution and retail sales.
One example of this connection is Shanghai Fast-Fine Chemicals, a Chinese company that U.S. authorities said worked with Rivera Zazueta's network and shipped precursor chemicals to drug-trafficking organizations in Mexico. The company had previously been sanctioned by OFAC.
Sources: proceso - infobae.com - home.treasury.gov
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Los Chapitos Logistics Operator Arrested in Mazatlán, Sinaloa
By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat
Mexican authorities announced Tuesday the arrest in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, of Jesús Antonio “N,” alias “El Peli,” identified as a key logistics and financial operator for Genaro Aarón “N” of the Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
The Sinaloa Crisis Didn’t Begin with "El Mayo": The Violence Cannot Be Attributed To A Single Event
“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat
The government, for its part, claims that the violence crisis in Sinaloa is the result of—pardon me—foreign interference; yet the state hasn’t been in crisis only since yesterday. We have been bleeding for decades due to drug trafficking disputes and political corruption. The current government washes its hands of the crisis that is draining Sinaloa of its lifeblood.
"Foreign interference causes the violence"—that is the official narrative. Under the guise of an exaggerated discourse about reclaiming sovereignty, it seeks to erase decades of complicity and negligence. The government attempts to reduce the state's crisis to a single event: the July 2024 abduction of "El Mayo" Zambada and his subsequent arrest in El Paso, Texas, alongside Joaquín Guzmán López.
It is worth recalling that the kingpin himself made this public in a letter: "I was kidnapped and brought to the United States by force and against my will." Two months later, on September 9, a civil war broke out between the two major factions of the Sinaloa Cartel: "Los Chapitos" and "La Mayiza." This rift has plunged the state into a bloody war that has left at least 3,900 dead and 4,400 missing.
At the root of this crisis lies a long history of accumulated favors and silence—things that can no longer be glossed over. To understand it, one must look inward and look back. The government has failed to mention that the Sinaloa Cartel has been wreaking havoc across Mexican territory for decades. In 2008, the arrest of Alfredo Beltrán Leiva—known as "El Mochomo"—triggered a split between the Beltrán Leiva brothers and the Sinaloa Cartel.
That rupture turned former partners into enemies and unleashed a war so violent that it spread to various regions of the country. Nor does the current government wish to recall that "El Chapo" Guzmán escaped from maximum-security prisons twice, while Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada operated in various parts of the country with total impunity for four decades. The government also cannot blame foreign interference for the events of October 17, 2019—the so-called "Culiacanazo."
Federal forces had captured El Chapo's son. Hours later, following blockades and shootouts, it was Andrés Manuel López Obrador himself who ordered his release. And speaking of the president, the "Fourth Transformation" rarely mentions his visits to Badiraguato, El Chapo's hometown.
During one of these visits, in March 2020, he took a moment to greet the drug lord's mother, María Consuelo Loa. One of the most critical points of the crisis in Sinaloa occurred in April 2026. The U.S. Department of Justice filed formal charges—not against drug traffickers, but against 10 current and former state officials, including Governor Rubén Rocha Moya and Senator Enrique Inzunza.
They are accused of collaborating with "Los Chapitos." Questioning foreign interference is legitimate, but using it as a smokescreen to absolve the past is an insult to the victims of organized crime—not just in Sinaloa, but across the entire country. Is all this the fault of foreign interference, or is the official narrative merely trying to prevent an investigation into those who protected and enabled the growth of drug trafficking from positions of power?
Source: ADN Noticias
Monday, September 21, 2026
Wave of Killings Rock Valle de Santiago, Guanajuato
By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat
An attack at a baseball field in the community of Duranes de Arriba, Valle de Santiago, Guanajuato, left four dead and five wounded yesterday evening. The massacre was one of several violent events in Valle de Santiago since Saturday.
Ojinaga-Aldama Corridor Records 34 Missing Person Reports So Far This Year
“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat
From January to August of this year, the Central Zone District Prosecutor's Office issued a total of 34 missing person reports covering the municipalities of Aldama, Manuel Benavides, Coyame del Sotol, and Ojinaga; of these, only five individuals have been located.
July recorded the highest number of missing person reports in these municipalities—seven cases—according to the Coordination of Outlying Units of the Central Zone District Prosecutor's Office.
Data provided by the agency indicates that four reports were filed in January; six were filed in February (with three individuals found alive); and four complaints were lodged in March (with one individual found alive).
April saw the same number of reports—four cases—while only one report was filed in May.
Meanwhile, June saw a total of three reports (with one individual found alive); July recorded seven missing person reports, making it the month with the highest incidence so far this year; and four cases were recorded in August.
Previously, Francisco Arturo Arizpe, coordinator of Outlying Units for the Central Zone Prosecutor's Office, noted that the conflict between two organized crime groups—which have maintained a presence in the region for approximately two years—has led to an increase in missing person reports during that period.
Months ago, activist Gabino Gómez told *El Heraldo de Chihuahua* that a significant portion of the missing person reports in the Ojinaga-Aldama region are likely linked to the ongoing conflict between two criminal groups in the area. According to intelligence gathered by state and federal authorities, the La Línea group—aligned with the Juárez Cartel—and Los Cabrera—aligned with the Sinaloa Cartel—are reportedly involved in the conflict that has driven an increase in violence in the northeastern part of the state, and consequently, a rise in this type of report.
The Ojinaga-Aldama Corridor of Chihuahua.
Source: El Heraldo de Chihuahua
Sunday, September 20, 2026
American Jeweler & Alleged Money Launderer Kidnapped and Later Released in Tres Ríos, Culiacán
"Socalj" for Borderland Beat
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Businessman and jeweler Luis Mario Zúñiga Ramos, who was kidnapped Thursday morning by armed men in the Tres Ríos Urban Development in Culiacán, has been identified as a U.S. citizen, sources confirmed to various Mexican media outlets.
Nearly 48 hours later he was released after being held in Culiacán, Sinaloa. He had been intercepted by armed men in the parking lot of Plaza Real.
Luis Mario Zúñiga Ramos is a member of the renowned Ramos family who has maintained luxury jewelry and watch stores in Sinaloa and other Mexican states for over 70 years.
He also allegedly has a family connection to Jesús María Tarriba Unger, husband of President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Industrial-Scale Methamphetamine Production in Nigeria
On August 19, Mexican national Arturo Carrera Loaiza was arrested by Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency while allegedly trying to flee the country through Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. He was the fifth Mexican drug-trafficking suspect arrested in Nigeria this year.
The arrest followed another case involving a Mexican national. In June, Nigerian authorities arrested José Villa Ochoa along with four African accomplices at another drug laboratory busted by national security forces with the support of AFRICOM. According to AFRICOM Commander Dagvin Anderson, Mexican cartel members were found at 11 of 12 drug laboratories intercepted across the continent over the previous 18 to 24 months.
The growing number of detained Mexican nationals points to a possible transfer of methamphetamine-production expertise from Mexican criminal actors to African criminal networks. According to Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), José Villa Ochoa was brought to Nigeria as a methamphetamine expert to provide technical expertise for large-scale production. The agency also identified Carrera Loaiza as the man who recruited and brought Ochoa into the country.
Such production does not necessarily require trained chemists; criminal groups can rely on “cooks,” as methamphetamine-production methods can be taught and learned, reducing dependence on highly specialized personnel.
Methamphetamine “cooks” can use dual-use chemicals—substances that have legitimate industrial or commercial purposes—to produce drug precursors. Rather than importing the highly controlled precursor P2P directly, producers can use less-regulated chemicals to synthesize P2P locally. P2P can then be combined with other precursor chemicals, particularly methylamine, and converted into methamphetamine.
The presence of Mexican methamphetamine “cooks” in Nigeria could therefore represent more than the movement of individual traffickers, potentially indicating deeper cooperation between Mexican and West African criminal networks.
Such cooperation could offer criminal organizations access to new markets while allowing them to share operational risks with African criminal actors. Producing methamphetamine in West Africa could also facilitate access to European markets. However, the expansion of synthetic-drug production in the region could have broader security implications, particularly if drug proceeds are financing terrorist organizations on the continent.
Source: ElPais
According To INEGI, Coahuila Is The State Where People Feel The Most Secure
“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat
Just over a decade ago, Coahuila was one of Mexico's most violent states. Today, according to INEGI’s survey on victimization and public security perception, Coahuila is the state where the population feels safest.
This transformation took years—it didn't happen overnight—and is the result of strategies sustained beyond a single six-year term, in a country where security policy is usually reinvented every six years.
Fifteen years ago, Coahuila was one of the country's most violent states due to rifts between criminal groups operating there, such as Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel. This situation coincided with the implementation of former President Felipe Calderón's security strategy.
We lived through the most difficult times during our childhood. The breaking point came in 2011 with the Allende massacre—where an estimated 42 people died and their bodies were never found—and a year later with the mass escape of 132 inmates from the Piedras Negras prison.
Good afternoon. Following the crisis, the presence of federal forces was stepped up, and a joint strategy was devised. Large military bases were built to fortify borders and coordinate operations.
Local police forces were purged, new security units were created, and the government and civil society sought to coordinate their efforts. The years following 2011 were very difficult regarding security.
It was a struggle just to go out on the street; they gradually fortified the state to the point where, today, we can say we are one of the safe states. It’s much better now; in fact, patrols come by much more frequently.
According to INEGI’s latest national survey on victimization and public security perception, 72.2% of Coahuila residents feel safe in their state, whereas the national average is barely 26%.
Coahuila’s case is exceptional, and what the state has achieved over the last 15 years is a remarkable feat. ...intolerance, let's say, on the part of the government regarding criminal groups controlling parts of the territory, right?
Here, the government authority is the one in control of the territory, and any criminal group attempting to colonize an area and start collecting "rents" will be fought decisively.
The homicide figures confirm this trend. In 2012, Coahuila reached a peak of 1,146 murders. By 2025, the figure had dropped to 100—the lowest on record. It is not just about force or the display of force; fundamentally, it is about continuity—consistently implementing prevention and deterrence programs and training local police forces.
Although challenges remain—such as combating common crime and extortion—Coahuila’s case shows that the strategy fostered citizen trust and the involvement of social sectors in the authorities' work.
It was truly something very palpable. You would see or hear about clashes; you might get caught in a shootout; there was a great deal of confrontation. The reality is that significant coordination began to develop between the government and the state.
Source: NMás
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
The Cultured Ways Of A Mayiza Member
"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat
The objective should be on winning the Sinaloa Cartel civil war and ensuring that the Chapitos are defeated. What we have instead is an enforcer that’s too fixated on horse dick during his downtime.
Surely not every assassin from the Mayiza mob is enamored by an animal’s phallus. Or are they?
In case anyone forgot, they do have a weird documented history. Many months back an article released here at Borderland Beat revealed how some of their members were engaging in male on male sex. Their whole reasoning behind that was very simple. Intercourse had to play a part with the enemy in order to obtain intel.
At this point nothing is being gained though. On the contrary, it just seems to be getting worse. At least in terms of what’s actually happening it is. Details to things you kinda wish you never knew about keep surfacing.
One of those facts is a video that was obviously meant for an enforcer’s significant other. Somehow he fumbled his whole presentation while trying to be funny about it. His incoherent statements could only be attributed to him being under the influence.
Video translation is as follows:
Sicario: Which of the two are you going to want my love? Pollo, we are the absolute Mayiza mob. So, does this horse have a large dick, is it naturally built in? Things aren’t so easy out here.
Source: Anonymous, Borderland Beat Archives
Monday, September 14, 2026
Soccer Match Shooting Leaves 1 Dead, 6 Injured in San Francisco del Rincón, Guanajuato
By "El Huaso" For Borderland Beat
Masked gunmen opened fire at a Sunday soccer match in San Francisco del Rincón, Guanajuato, killing one person and wounding six. At least 16 people have already been murdered this year in shootings at soccer games in the state.
