“El Ray” CJNG Jefe Del Plaza Morelos Arrested

Yaqui for Borderland Beat from: Universal

Raymundo Isidoro Castro Salgado, "El Ray" , considered head of the CJNG in Morelos  was arrested this afternoon in the state of Puebla, by elements of the Investigation Division of the Federal Police.

Castro Salgado was wanted by state and federal authorities since 2014, but his persecution intensified the second week of April, after an armed group burst into a seafood restaurant to kill him while he ate.


The Attorney General's Office informed that the gunmen were going for Raymundo Castro, "El Ray", head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in Morelos, who shared a table with the victims. Two girls, a woman and a young man died in the place. Days later, a child under five and an adult woman also died. Of the facts, another 10 people were injured and the authorities arrested four alleged perpetrators.

In 2014, the State Security Commissioner, Jesús Alberto Capella Ibarra, identified two men as the most dangerous in the state of Morelos: Santiago Mazari Hernández, "El Carrete", (The Crutch) and Raymundo Castro, "El Ray".

 Federal agents captured the alleged chief of Morelos plaza of the New Generation Cartel Jalisco (CJNG) in the capital of Puebla, during a strong operation in the La Noria neighborhood.

"El Ray" who was supposed to be "in charge" of the "plaza" in Morelos was in an armored luxury car. Raymundo Isidoro Castro Salgado, alias "El Ray", drove an armored car Mercedes Benz, when he was detained by agents of the Attorney General's Office.

Although "El Ray" tried to escape, he was arrested a few blocks ahead in the same area of ​​the capital of Puebla.

Upon his departure, in September 2018, Capella stated that Graco Ramírez's administration (2012-2018) completely eradicated the ''Guerreros Unidos'' cartel that operated in the metropolitan area and in the eastern part of the state, and maintained that the structure of Los Rojos, led by "El Carrete", was reduced by 90%.

He also said that the Familia Michoacán operates in the eastern part of the state but its activity has diminished.

He also documented that in that region operated the cartel of a subject identified as "El Ray" and his criminal cells were allied with the CJNG, Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación to maintain a presence in the municipalities of the east and north of the state.

Upon his departure that poster expanded its domain in the entity and his first demonstration was in the municipality of Temixco, where one of the leaders was located by the Security Commission and in the attempt to stop him the police killed six members of a family.

Before concluding the management of Capella Ibarra in the CES, the CJNG confirmed its presence in the municipalities of the eastern part of the state, bordering the state of Puebla, through a video in which it threatened the Commissioner and its regional rivals, then hung blankets/ mantas in the capital of the state with messages of presence in the metropolitan area and of challenge against Capella that left Morelos without stopping the influence of "El Carrete" and "El Ray".

Criminal groups in Morelos

According to an official report in Morelos there are four criminal groups that fight for the "plaza" but it is "El Ray" the primary objective even over Santiago Mazari, "El Carrete". The bands that operate in Morelos are Los Rojos, Los Porcayo, "El Maya" and "El Ray", the latter became the public enemy Number One for the authorities.

"El Ray" is the "heir" of Cesáreo Adrián Arias "La Guajolota", arrested in 2013 and in charge of recovering the "plaza" for the South Pacific Cartel (CPS). Its control area was the eastern region, based in Cuautla.

The ex-Commissioner of Security, Jesus Capella said that  "El Ray" increased his criminal activity in 2017 but before a presumed attack of the authorities he retreated to the state of Mexico where he married a woman of foreign nationality, made contacts with criminal groups of the area and returned to Morelos.

In addition, the text highlights that the CJNG  was present in the eastern area of Morelos , near the state of Puebla , an organization that threatened the then commissioner Capella and placed message blankets in the metropolitan area of ​​the state.

The State Security Commission assures that "El Ray" operated a small cartel, whose cells are colluded with the Jalisco Cartel in order to demonstrate its presence in the eastern and northern areas of Morelos , the newspaper said.

He adds that Castro Salgado's group dominated most of the entity and when trying to stop him for the first time, police officers killed 6 members of a family.

In May  of 2018, the State Security Commission carried out an operation and confiscated several weapons that were allegedly aimed at strengthening the criminal cell of "El Ray" so that its presence would cease until after the July 2018 elections.