Tijuana: 5 executed in Zona Norte

5 executed in Zona Norte

In a small room between Primera and Miguel F. Martinez streets in Zona Norte, a grim stash house of sorts, a man clings to life.  His associates, friends, perhaps family lay dead, between the floor, and and the bleak furnishings, a few battered couches.  Blood leaked from their wounds, all head shots, one or two apiece, spreading out onto the floor.  

Three women and two men, executed, ambushed, likely betrayed.  All 9mm shells, no signs of heavy weapons, long rifles.  They were part of a narco retail cell operating in La Zona.  The kind of group that bears both the blame, and burden for many of the constant killings and mutilations, severed limbs, and bullet holes, weaving in and out of flesh, hot bullet shells dancing across victims insides.

These killings were different then the public executions, shootouts in bars, clubs, mariscos stands, these people saw their killers, and interacted with them before they were killed.  Single shots mostly, no signs of torture, or bounding have been reported.  More then one, to retrain, and to kill 5 people, without problems. At least 3. 

They may have thought they were going to leave.  They were either surprised, lured, or betrayed. They may have begged, pleaded, confessed. They may have stood defiant to the end.  They may have anticipated the shot, as the deafening crack of gunshots echoed across the room, flinched before the bullet pierced their skin, into the back of their skull. 

The retail cells are many, tentacles of larger cells, dispersed all through Tijuana, esp in La Zona.  The family and group of the fallen El Mono, Manuel Luis Toscano, known as Los Iqualos, still maintains a presence.  The people of Los Aquiles have a certain degree of control.  The people of CTNG, formerly under 'El Gross' operate.   It is simply the largest retail market in the city.

The Red Light district attracts sex tourism from San Diego, and internationally, sending hundreds to the bars and brothels that line the area.  Meth and heroin are sold at a retail level to the desperate addicts of Zona Norte, whose addiction consume them, fuel blood and violence across the city. "Globitos" small quantities of crystal and heroin are packaged, labeled, and sold by the retail cells, who in turn pay plaza, and buy product from a larger group.  

Most all of us, are more then what we do, more then what we have done, or will do, and complexity and humanity lays behind the killings and brutality.  There are very few truly evil people.  It is undeniable though that in death, what we leave behind can represent us, our desperation, our fears, our failures. 

-Maria Guadelupe Ramos Navarro, was 22, bullets struck her neck, and left shoulder.  "Gabriel' was tattooed above her left breast.  

-Unknown male victim, single shot behind the ear, another to the jaw, three skulls tattooed on his forearm.

-Unknown male victim, 30-35 years, single shot behind the ear, "Margarita" tattooed on his left breast. 

-Unknown female, 40-45 years, single shot to the head. 

-Unknown female, 30-35  years, single bullet to the head, behind her ear. "Suerte Puta" tattooed on her chest.

Items found in the room include a 9mm pistol, a box of .22 caliber ammunition, a Truconnect phone, and a glass pipe...

Sources: AFN Tijuana