“El Pantera” of "Los Pelones" Detained in Playa Del Carmen, Q Roo.

Yaqui for Borderland Beat from: Yucatan.com.mx

Playa del Carmen, Q Roo:  The probable leader of the criminal cell of “ Los Pelones” in Playa del Carmen, Ernesto “N” , alias “El Pantera” , was captured yesterday Monday night, in the municipality of Solidaridad, through an operation joint between the National Guard and the Police of Quintana Roo.

Main promoter of extortion and homicides:

In a press conference, the head of the Secretary of Public Security of the state, Alberto Capella , considered that the detention of " El Pantera" is most relevant, because he is known by the federal and state intelligence authorities as the main promoter of extortion and homicides , not only in this tourist center, but in Puerto Morelos and Tulum.

"El Pantera" was armed:

Capella Ibarra explained that Ernesto “N”, 43, born in Acapulco and designated as the head of “Los Pelones”, who was captured at 23:00 yesterday, on the “Los Azulejos” avenue, in the company of a 18 year old; He was armed, carrying drugs and driving a truck/ SUV.

Last night, two people, a man and a woman, were arrested by the Municipal Police with a firearm and drugs. Both were handed over to the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic, because he was "El Pantera", alleged leader of the "Los Pelones" in the municipality.

Ernesto “N”, 43 years old, and María Trinidad “N”, barely 18, were arrested on Azulejos con Spatula Street, in Villas del Sol, allegedly for traveling in a truck with tinted windows.

In the vehicle, a 9 mm Beretta squad gun was found, with four loaders, in addition to 250 grams of marijuana, so both were stopped and the truck was secured, a Nissan X-Trail with HFB-812 plates -B from Quintana Roo.

Ernesto "N" is the brother of Víctor Herrera Silva, alias "El Pantera,", former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, who was inexplicably released from the Center for Social Reinsertion (Cereso) at the beginning of the year.

After the arrest of his brother, Ernesto would have inherited the nickname of "El Pantera" and transformed into the leader of "Los Pelones", leaving the original "El Pantera" as his right arm man.

During the list pass this morning, the State Secretary of Public Security, Jesús Alberto Capella Ibarra, declared that the Attorney General's Office would give the details of the case, but that he had arrested a ringleader of a criminal group.

He also presented images of at least eight other subjects linked to organized crime , especially with the extortion of “businessmen and people well off from the municipality and intimately related to drug trafficking”, who are sought by the authorities, as promoters of violence ; the official requested the cooperation of  society so that, in the case of seeing any of them, they report their location and help them with their rapid capture.

Criminal groups operate with impunity:

Accompanied by the mayor of Solidaridad, Laura Beristain, and the regional coordinator of the National Guard in Solidarity, Plácido Paredes Martínez, Capella stressed that in that municipality they have operated with total impunity;  local, national and international criminal groups , he referred to the problems as "inherited" with the municipal or state administration.

"The party for these subjects is over," Capella Ibarra warned, announcing that with the inauguration of the Public Security Directorate, the "Operational Solidarity" begins today .

The strategy seeks the deterrence of crime, the rapprochement with citizens, social proximity, the strengthening of road filters, the installation of video cameras , street patrol rounds, coordination with consulates to verify the entry by land and air of foreigners and review of suspicious vehicles, with foreign license plates, tinted glass and carrying more than three people.