El Chila and El Kilos, Alleged Leaders of La Unión Tepito Arrested

"HEARST" for Borderland Beat

Two alleged leaders within the cartel La Unión Tepito were arrested May 27, 2021. La Unión Tepito is a criminal group that originates and primarily operates in Mexico City.

El Kilos

In the early hours of May 27 2021, a man was seen “manipulating” a firearm inside of a vehicle in the Santa Maria la Ribera neighborhood of Cuauhtémoc borough of Mexico City.

Seeing this, the police stopped the vehicle and searched its interior on Ribera de San Cosme Ave. The vehicle was a blue Volkswagen sedan car. The search resulted in the discovery of 105 packages of cocaine and a firearm. The four men and one woman present in the vehicle were arrested.

Among the arrested was Mario Javier López Martínez alias “El Gordo” or “El Kilos” who is identified as a regional leader for cartel La Unión Tepito. El Kilos is 36 years old and has previously served time for drug charges in 2016.  

Those arrested alongside El Kilos were: José de Jesús “N”, 37 years old and from the municipality of Pachuca, Hidalgo; Ángel “N”, 42 years old and residing in the municipality of Ecatepec, State of Mexico; Juan José “N”, 69 years old; and as Diana “N”, 35 years old.

El Chila

Mexico City police conducted mobile surveillance and various citizen interviews, looking for prominent La Unión Tepito members. Intelligence work by Mexico City police led to the discovery of a location believed to be frequented by La Unión Tepito affiliated characters. The location was at the intersection of República de Costa Rica and Eje 1 Norte streets.

Police officers surveyed the area and observed two men leaning against a vehicle which had no license plates. The men seemed to be “exchanging and counting small plastic bags.” When police approached the men, one of the men fled and another tried to enter the vehicle and drive away. The man in the vehicle was apprehended, whether the one who ran was apprehended as well is unclarified in news reports. 

The man arrested turned out to be José Luis Méndez Ríos alias “El Chila”. It is believed that El Chila and his cousin “Agus” are the current leaders of La Unión Tepito. El Chila has previously served time in Reclusorio Oriente prison.

What spurred Mexico City police to seek out La Unión Tepito members so aggressively recently? It may have to do with the recent murder of a five year old girl. 

It is believed that El Chila is the leader who ordered the murder of Raúl Torrijo Aguirre. Excelsior newspaper alleges that Torrijo was an operator for La Unión Tepito, who is currently going through internal disputes. The hit on Raúl Torrijo resulted in his wife, and his daughter also being shot on May 22 2021. Raúl Torrijo died of ten gunshot wounds. His wife received two gunshot wounds, her condition is unclear. His five year old daughter Aitana received 4 gunshot wounds. For two days hospital workers tried to save her but she eventually succumbed to her injuries and died on May 24 2021. 

Of note, Raúl Torrijo Aguirre was the half-brother of a woman named Ingrid who was found dead in a suitcase in Tlatelolco in 2018.

El Kilos Sources: Milenio ,Quinto Poder, Infobae

El Chila Sources: Milenio, Excélsior, Televisa.news, El Universal, EJE Central , TV Azteca
Raúl Torrijo Sources: Tribuna, Excélsior