Tijuana: To die at a mariscos stand

Tijuana: To die at a mariscos stand

The death of Cabo 23

It was cold on January 5th, but sunny, bright as the couple approached the mariscos stand, mariscos guero in Playas de Tijuana.  The smell of consume made minutes earlier, small styrofoam cups, the steam pouring from the top, a mixture of fish, vegetables, hot sauce, the left overs of the kitchen, the tostadas, and tacos, it's too cold for cocktails, but some people will order anyway. 

There are makeshift chairs and tables set up around the wall, directly off the street, graffiti runs  across it, paint smeared on dirty concrete, the street is swept and washed down, it is clean, and the mariscos scent is enticing in the clear, bright morning. 

Maybe they had a few bites, maybe they had just ordered, and never had their first bites or sip of soup, crispy tostada and octopus, tomatoes, hot sauce.  Maybe they never made it to the counter to order.  R-15 bullets tore into their flesh, piercing their clothes, their skin, and leaving them bleeding on the concrete, in front of the mornings other customers. 

Jose Mora Zamora, aka Cabo 23, aka El Negro died on the floor of mariscos stand.  He was one of Alfredo Arteaga's Azarte's confidantes in 2012, as Los Aquiles began to claim their place as Ismael Zambada's closest contacts in Tijuana.  After the bloody years of 2008-2010, these years were peaceful.  

From left: Rene Azarte, Alfonzo Azarte, Jose Mora Zamora, Israel Galindo

Sinaloa supplied the product, extended the peace, to Fernando Sanchez Arellano group, and the two worked mostly in peace, besides some incidents, like the arrest of Juan Sillas Rocha, a former CAF lieutenant aka Sillas, who minutes before had gunned down Isamel Vergara Galindo, aka Marquitos, who survived his injuries, and escaped the hospital, only to be recaptured in Mexico City, and released late in 2018. 

What they all had in common was a circling investigation based out of San Diego, that eventually indicted 60 Sinaloa Cartel members, including Ivan Archivaldo, Jose Rodrigo Archeiaga Gamboa aka Chino Antrax, Serafin Zambada Ortiz, Ismael Zambada Imperial, Alfonso Azarte, Rene Azarte, and Jose Mora Zamora, aka El Negro. He is listed right under Aquiles in the charging documents, accused of conspiracy to import cocaine.  Operation Narco Polo which was unsealed in January 2015, failed to capture Aquiles, but hit deep into Sinaloa operations in Tijuana. 

Things changed.  Time passed.  Mora Zamora, in the years after 2015 had switched to the CJNG alliance, that grew out of the Sanchez Tadoaba cell, led by Giovanni Herrera, aka El Gross, killed in October 2016, and then El Piolin, detained in Zapoppan, and awaiting extradition to the United States on drug trafficking charges accusing him of being a leader for CJNG in Tijuana. 

Mora Zamora was part of the crew of CJNG/CTNG cell, with the "Cabo" name, including Cabo 8, detained and released in 2017, and Cabo 20, who was arrested in Mexicali yesterday.  The word from ZETA Tijuana was that former allies and associates in the Los Uriartes cell, now ran by Muletas brother, Luis Alberto Lopez Uriarte, formerly aligned with El Muletas were trying to turn Mora Zamora, back to their side.

There was a deal on the table.  Come back, but set up Mario Delval Barocio aka Cabo 33, Mora Zamora refused.  So, they came for him, that morning, at mariscos guero.  23 shots from the R-15.  Jose Zamora and his wife, lay dead on the floor, bodies crumpled in the sun, the wake of rapid, gun shots and scattered screams. To die at a mariscos stand in Tijuana. 

Sources: Zeta Tijuana:http://zetatijuana.com/2019/02/los-arzate-buscados-por-estados-unidos/

Photo: AFN TIJUANA