The Sinaloa counter-attack

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Zetatijuana article

Subject Matter: Sinaloa cartel vs CJNG in Baja California Sur
Recommendation: No prior subject matter knowledge required

January 2017 has been the a very violent month, with 32 Homicides in Los Cabos, 12 In La Paz, five in Loreto,   One in Comondú and one in Mulegé. "It's already a War, of two cartels, they are fighting and we as authority, there is nothing we can do ": source of Coordination Group of  Public security

In a clear message of "here we are and we are going to face it", the Sinaloa Cartel gave a hard and bloody coup against cells of the New Generation Jalisco Cartel (CJNG) at 2:20 pm on Sunday, January 29 in the colony The Zacatal of San José del Cabo.

"It is already a place of war, the two cartels are fighting it and we as an authority we can do nothing, and if we participate maybe a massacre is worse, it was a very meaningful notice where these two people, where they practically ripped  to shreds," he said. A member of the Public Security Coordination Group in Baja California Sur, after the execution of two hitmen in the service of the cell "La Barredora".

The murder took place in Juan Pedrín Castillo and Fabián Chacho Cota, right on the corner where the Fire Station is located. According to witnesses, the deceased were "following them along the Pedrín and were "made" and terminated (...) When they were "made" the men who traveled in a black Hyundai ", tried to flee.

"They were approached by armed men who fired on the side of the front passenger, taken down with an AK47," said a ministerial agent.

The hitmen, who escaped, repeatedly fired at the occupants of the vehicle, "the reality of the streets is very crude, to see this couple, even if they are in the business, was a real massacre, one almost had their head ripped off, it was a very clear message, they killed one of the important operatives of  'El Borrega', " said the agent.

" La Borrega" is Claudia Amador, alleged principal distributor  in El Zacatal, after the fall of "Pavel", arrested on January 14  for criminal activity in Los Cabos and identified as the main drug dealer serving the Sinaloa Cartel .

Amador was executed one day before this double murder, the afternoon of Saturday, January 28 at the crossing of Luis Castro Arballo Street and Margarito Sandez Villarino in El Zacatal.

At the scene of the crime was the black Hyundai car , inside two men: driver on his right side, wearing black shirt and beige pants; The co-pilot, wearing a navy blue t-shirt and blue denim trousers, had his skull almost blown off by the AK-47's gunshot .

The scene became even more bloody, as they blew off his scalp, the product of the bullet strikes. This double execution only reflects "the fury, reorganization and arrival of hired assassins in the service of ' Los Dámaso' or ' Los Javieres' ( Sinaloa Cartel), who are disputing the territory against ' La Barredora' (CJNG), who are not willing to give in to the control that Sinaloa maintain in the south of the State, "he said.

But this is already a generality in Baja California Sur. In La Paz there were also executions and, according to data obtained by ZETA , have emanated from the bowels of the Sinaloa Cartel;  the death of Christian Romero Green "El Cachetes", executed on board a taxi from the site Estrella Roja. The murder took place around seven in the afternoon, just a few blocks away from the General Directorate of Public Safety, Preventive Police and Municipal Transit of La Paz.

" El Cachetes" belonged to the cell of the " El Montoya", who in turn operated the cell " Los Mayitos" , which began to work for CJNG, "so we realize that ' El Cachetes' was executed by Chapulin, "said the military source.

At the same time, underneath the Pino Payas Bridge in La Paz, at the height of the Thermoelectric, road that leads to one of the main shopping plazas of The Shoppes La Paz , was found the lifeless body of a young woman who had been missing for four days .

According to the source, the young woman was tortured, handcuffed and thrown under the bridge, had the coup de grace. she wore a black sweatshirt, blue denim pants and red tennis shoes, as reported by her family on Tuesday, January 24.

Among the investigations, she points out that "this young lady could be involved in the setting up of 'El Cachetes', she could have given him up, she was probably tortured until she told them everything, here the worry is that if this woman gave saint And sign of the contras, violence could be just resuming, we already expect the response of the opposing group, "said the command.The next morning again it was bloody in Loreto, where three people were executed in the colonia Miramar; According to witnesses, the house located in Gaviotas between Tuna and Jureles was invaded by gunmen, the moment the gunmen descended from a Hummer truck , one of the occupants of the house tried to flee but was hit by gunfire.

At the same time, another armed command entered the house and fired on two men, one of the dead responding to the name of Roberto Carlos Vega "El Gordo" or "El Betillo", known to belong to the band "Los Pelones", who had been operating in Loreto since the execution of the "El Bogar", killed on 10 January.

Since the Sinaloa Cartel orchestrated its "return" to the territories "lost" or recovered by Jalisco, they made a  weekend, the bloodiest in the history of Baja California Sur, with 14 people executed in less than 72 hours: seven dead in San José del Cabo, three in La Paz, as in Loreto; And Guerrero Negro, in Mulegé, with one more deceased.

According to unofficial reports, one of the deceased persons is Roberto Carlos Vega Osuna, member of a band known as "Los Pelones", which is dedicated to the narcotics trade in that port and who already has a criminal record.

January, the most violent

On the attack of January 10th, directed against the plaza jefe in Comondú and Loreto, Rubén Omar Castañón Nicolat "El Cheyo", 27 years old, they only managed to execute Michel Torres, 22, and Bogar Nicolás Castañón Nicolat "El Bogar", 20, alleged narco-leader in Loreto and son-in-law of the mayor of Loreto, Arely Arce Peralta, who was married to his daughter Arely Susarrey Arce.

When they were about to enter the hotel where they were staying, they were intercepted by gunmen, who fired handguns at the occupants of a  Ford Fusion vehicle , "El Bogar" was killed inside the car, while the other person died on the way to the hospital.

It is clear the attack orchestrated by Sinaloa to extend its dominion, the war that was coming between Sinaloa and Jalisco for the control of Comondú, Loreto and Mulegé already is raging. Just after the wave of violence that was felt in practically the whole state, the weekend from 27 to 29 January, security forces were shocked when registering 14 executed people, the highest since 31st of July 2014 to date.

In this way, January 2017 became the most violent month in the history of Baja California Sur, not for nothing "the last Index of Peace talks that the state where the greatest deterioration has been in violence and insecurity is Baja California South, it is assumed that at the national level in the last two years the situation of violence in the country has improved, but in Baja California Sur it has deteriorated ", says María Luisa Cabral, representative of the Observatory of Social and Gender Violence in the State.

According to data presented by the Observatory, with more than 107 percent in the increase of executions and homicides during 2016, BCS is in the disgraceful first national place, as the federal State where the insecurity and the violence have increased exponentially.


Information collected by Lantia Consultores and Semáforo Delictivo Nacional , the most important destinations in the country, including Los Cabos, together with Cancun, Quintana Roo, more than double the national average. Being alone, Los Cabos with a record of more than one dead per day.

At the close of the previous edition of ZETA , the registry until January 25th was 34 people deprived of life: Loreto with two executed; Comondú, a deceased person; La Paz, six deceased; And Los Cabos, 25 executed. However, the harsh reality was another, in less than six days, the war between drug cartels in Baja California Sur increased the figures with 17 more people executed. Los Cabos, 32; La Paz, 12; Loreto, five; in addition to Comondú and Mulegé, with one executed, respectively. This reflects a clear increase in the war and that "the 190 newly deployed elements of the Gendarmerie (Federal Police) are going to be able to fight against violence, although the zones are concrete, Montreal, Ballena and El Zacatal, we could not, there are That recognize it, "lamented the consulted agent.

Alleged confession of a Sicario

From the last days of January a video on social networks was circulated with the "confession" of an alleged hit man in the service of Dámaso López Núñez "El Licenciado" - one of the main operators of the Sinaloa Cartel in the country. The recording obtained by ZETA has a duration of one minute and 34 seconds, edited, since it has cuts in several points. In it appears the alleged assassin named Manuel, from Culiacan, Sinaloa.

In this confession, in addition to mentioning that he operates for Sinaloa, he lists a list of potential Ministry and Municipal Public Security commanders and agents colluded with the group, including mention of the participation of Ulises Contreras, deputy prosecutor for Special Investigations of the Attorney General's Office Justice in the State (PGJE). According to the hit man, this public official is known as "El Barbas" and speaks of juicy tips that he delivers to the Sinaloa Cartel  for its operations.

In the audio-visual material, Manuel has bruises on his face, he wears a blue t-shirt and he seems to be lying with his captors in front; For the moment loses sight of the recording equipment and directs his direct look to whoever accompanies him.

"We were in a house in Loreto, there were many spots in the village there, checking  'El Bogar', who is the one we were going to kill."

This is the assumption of the recording, in which he states that they were hired by the Sinaloa Cartel to remove Bogar Nicolás Castañón Nicolat from the competition, alleged narco-trafficking leader in Loreto.

"We got there on the orders of Commander Richie and Commander Johnson, " he says. Once eliminated the target set by the criminal cell, the hitmen fled the place, but were captured days later.

"We went in the truck and were stopped by the Municipal Police, a patrol did a review and took us, and there we were," hours later were released and apparently captured by CJNG hitmen, where they were able to record.

In the rest of the recording the interrogation can be heard. Here an extract:

Captor: Who cooperates in Ciudad Constitución?

Manuel: Commander Valenzuela and the director of the (Municipal Police).

Captor: Who cooked them in Guerrero Negro and Los Cabos?

Manuel: In Guerrero Negro, Comandante Moisés supports us , and in Los Cabos, Quiroz, Daniel,
Richie, 'El Negro Chino', and with Quiroz we send him to the high commanders.

Captor: Of the high commanders who supports them?

Manuel: We support 'El Barbas', he is the one that makes all the movements for Mr. Licenciado López Dámaso, and after we give him the money in a carton of beer, I do not look at the amount, And says that we leave it in Santa Rosalia.

Captor: What's your name? Where do you come from and where are you coming from?

Manuel: My name is Manuel, I came from Culiacán, Sinaloa, but the 'Licenciado' López Dámaso sent us to support Commander Richie and Commander Johnson , who are the ones who are cleaning these sides, of La Paz, Los Cabos San Lucas, San José, eh ... Ciudad Constitución, Loreto and even Guerrero Negro. They are those who have been responsible for making all executions.

Captor: Who supports you in Los Cabos?

Jesús Adolfo Meza Dimas, ministerial policeman turned narco

Manuel: All the Ministerial of San José, Commander Arce was the one who gave us the word, the compadre of El 'Diablo', and 'El Dimas' is the one that helps us kidnap people. According to data spilled in the video "you can identify several that had already been pointed out, especially some that surprises us, but that are the missing link."

And list the following names:

* Ulises Contreras, Deputy Attorney for Special Investigations of the PGJE, whom they identify with the alias of "Barbas".
* Benigno Murillo Orantes, director of the Municipal Police of Comondú. * Javier Valenzuela Cruz, former Commander General of the Municipal Police of Comondú.
* Norberto Richie Ceseña, coordinator of the Municipal Police of Los Cabos and appointed in a narcomanta in early January.

* Juan Carlos Quiroz, coordinator of the Municipal Police of Los Cabos.
* Moses, who is presumed to be Commander of the Municipal Police in Guerrero Negro.
* Jesús Adolfo Meza Dimas, agent of the Ministerial Police, attached to San José del Cabo.

"Along with the investigation carried out in the Attorney General's Office, we are investigating the agents of the Ministerial and especially the officials who are operating, in the same way the Navy, we are reviewing each one, not only those mentioned, but from there are many more, the material we have is broad, state police, ministerial, even the Municipal, "said the military source.  

Officials mention the dawn of January 8, as had already been exposed by ZETA , organized crime - in particular members of "La Barredora" - were present in various Barrios of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, one of them located in the Perimeter fence of the Rolling Hills subdivision, located at kilometer 115 of the highway from Cabo San Lucas to Todos Santos:

" Commander Demetrio and Richi not because they have two hands take two cartels, " signed with the letters " SR ". The narcomantas, according to the investigating agents, are directed directly against the coordinator of the Municipal Police of Los Cabos, by the name of Demetrio, and the commander of the corporation, Norberto Richie Ceseña.

In the case of this last one, his name returns to shine in the declarations that were put out in social networks.

But also that of Edgar Arce Molina "El Mocho" or "El Zopilote", a former ministerial police presumably, heads the armed wing of the cell of " Los Javieres" or " Los Dámaso"; There is also mention of Jesus Adolfo Meza Dimas alias "El Dimas", agent of the Ministerial Police, who had already been exposed by members of the CJNG in text messages to all the security agents in Los Cabos, where they indicated that he protected " Los Javieres". At the time he was removed and sent to La Paz to cool the situation, but according to data obtained, returned to San Jose del Cabo.

"If we review and mention 'El Barbas', allegedly is Ulises Contreras of the Special Investigations of the Procu , there I can say that it was known that this person received money from both sides, not that he has agreed, but I can not say either that is a red herring, what I can tell you is that long before the deal was already agreed, "said a ministerial," all this shit does not have much to do with the (State Police) or Municipal, its  in the Attorney General, "he concluded. 

And is that in addition to this agent, strongly indicate the work of the current Attorney General Justice in the State, Erasmo Palemon Alamilla Villeda. "The one who is most silent is the one who receives the most, and I speak of strong positions. I do not put my hands on anybody, but if they really want this to work, we have to start from the inside and here the truth is all very rigged, "the agent reflected.

Edgar Arce Molina ,ex policeman now member of Los Damaso

To justify its action, public servants of the PGJE opened an investigation under document LPZ / 670/2017 to know in the first instance, who developed the video put into social networks, in which, according to the first investigations "is due to the same policemen Ministerial sponsored with the opposing group, "this is the first line of research.

The other is that "it was placed by the same forces of order and captured by CJNG assassins, who tortured Manuel."

Until now the whereabouts of the two hitmen are unknown; However, their appearance on social networks has caused instability within the Attorney General's Office, which provides for a series of loopholes in the upper ranks that are presumed to be "colluding."

Meanwhile in La Paz, in order to prevent corruption within the corporation and its possible alliance with members of organized crime, Armando Martinez Vega, mayor of the capital, said he is "waiting for the CISEN (Center for Research and National Security) to give us the results that were expected from the Director of Transit.

At the same time, he commented that it is expected to reach the ground by process to 40 to 42 elements of Municipal Public Safety, failing to meet the profiles suitable to care for the city of La Paz, was started with six senior managers and will conclude with this sum.

The classifications and the reasons why they will be discharged are classified as follows: Red: Agents colluded or have strong drug problems, which will have to leave the lines of security because of their lack of confidence. Rosa: They have once accepted bribes and can not continue, because of their susceptibility to going astray.

PGJE outstanding accounts "On Tuesday, January 31 (sixth) anniversary of the murder of our son Jesus Asael Valtierra Loya, we insist on our claim to find justice for our son, for which we will insist on finding the longed for justice, we have been partially denied by the authorities responsible for obtaining justice, observing a visible disdain for executing three arrest warrants that have been pending for more than a year, including two of the three police officers Municipalities involved in the events, as well as to continue, through the agreement of a triplicate, with the integration of the previous investigation, within the old criminal justice system, until achieving full clarification of the facts and punishment with maximum penalties for each one of those involved, "said the family of the young man executed and cremated inside his vehicle on January 31, 2011, according to inquiries, in order to steal cash that he was transferring.

He was deprived of his freedom and then murdered and burned in the White Dakota pick-up vehicle he was traveling in, near a Benito Juárez settlement in Comondú.

Until these days the case of the young man has gone unpunished, the family makes a call to the institution in charge of the procurement of justice, above all to the traditional system, since there the process remained, and not leave it forgotten before the entrance of the New Criminal Justice System.

The state prosecutor, Erasmo Palemon Alamilla Villeda, said that "it could not particularize specific proceedings, but that the matter is being addressed, the three emblematic issues that we receive, this case, the Jonathan case, the case of the girl Lisset, everyone's got a job and they've got a breakthrough. "

Another of the old cases within the PGJE, is the execution of two municipal police in the colonia La Fuente of La Paz.

According to data collected, on February 2, 2010, three municipal agents went to an alleged robbery that was recorded in La Fuente; The police Jose Manuel Ochoa Pérez, Carlos Jesus Vega Andrade and Luis Felipe González Olaves went to the call from the Control Center Command, Communications and Computer (C4).

They were attacked, all were killed, Jose Manuel and Carlos Jesus, the other officer with multiple bullet wounds, even in the face.

"To this day we have not been given justice, we asked the Attorney General to do something for our son's case, we are old, but it is not fair that justice can not be done," lamented the father of one of the officers . Of those involved in this murder, only César Edmundo Munguía García was arrested, while his brothers Jesus and Ivan continue to escape from justice, since according to the family, "the Attorney General let them go, I do not doubt that they have been paid . At the moment, it is very difficult for them to be able to arrest them, even the only detainee has requested an amparo,

They follow the pending processes in the PGJE, and that is where the main suspicions of conspiracy with organized crime emerge. At the moment the investigations are kept within the dependency.

Original article in Spanish at Zetatijuana