Sinaloa Cartel Kills 'El Agapo', High-Ranking CJNG Member in Ensenada, Baja California

"Morogris" for Borderland Beat

This week, murderers from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in Ensenada, Baja California, failed to assassinate an operator of the Sinaloa Cartel. In turn, the Sinaloans killed a high-ranking CJNG boss in the area, Emiliano Torres Ramírez AKA El Agapo.

The CJNG first attacked a home owned by Hernán Niebla Vega, a Sinaloa Cartel boss in the area. The shootout occurred close to the vineyard Agua de Vid, and the gunshot detonations were recorded by tourists who were present at the vineyard when the attack erupted. 

When authorities were called to the scene, they did not find anyone injured at Niebla Vega's home. They only located bullet shell casings, which indicated there was an exchange of bullets between the two groups. At the scene they also located traces of blood. they do not know who was the person who was injured, but they are investigating the possibility that it is Niebla Vega or one of his bodyguards.

48 hours after the failed attack against Hernán Niebla, two Sinaloa Cartel gunmen arrived in a van to open fire on those attending a family celebration at a bull riding event held on the afternoon of May 30.

The armed aggression took place at 8:45 p.m. on Sunday, in Ignacio Zaragoza rural community, at Kilometer 39.1 of the Ensenada & Tecate highway, the so-called Wine Route because it has several vineyards in the area.

The hitmen fired directly at Emiliano Torres Ramírez, nicknamed "El Agapo," who was surprised by the shots and was killed. Authorities say that he was a CJNG operator and controlled drug dealing and drug trafficking activities in the Valle de Guadalupe (Guadalupe Valley).

Witnesses reported that men with long firearms arrived in two vans shortly after the bull riding event had ended. Several people had stayed at the place and continued to party and drink. The joy was interrupted when the gunmen went after their target. Women and children were caught in the crossfire.

Background

For three years, state authorities identified Niebla Vega as a leading drug baron in the Ensenada and Guadalupe Valley area. He succeeded his brother Alfonso Niebla Vega AKA "El 90", who was shot outside of his home in Valle Dorado on the morning of February 3, 2019. In the criminal organization chart, Hernan Niebla Vega is located as head of the Sinaloa Cartel, under the orders of René Arzate García AKA "La Rana".

The cell that Hernán Niebla now leads has been fighting since 2017 with the CJNG cell once headed by the late Mario del Val Barocio AKA "Cabo 33", murdered in Tijuana in July 2020.

Special thanks to HEARST for the image

According to reports from the State Attorney General's Office, a month before the murder of Cabo 33, CJNG members tried to kill Hernán Niebla. He was ambushed by two hit men in a white sedan-type vehicle in El Porvenir borough, Ensenada.

During the attack, Niebla also drew his weapon and fired at his attackers. One of his opponents, injured in the white sedan, was detained by state officials. In his police statement, he said that he carried out the attack under orders of CJNG boss Ricardo Ruiz Velasco AKA "El Doble R" and/or "El RR". This man has presence in Jalisco, Baja California, and Michoacan.

Who Was "El Agapo"?

Authorities reported that "El Agapo" began his criminal career in the Sánchez Taboada neighborhood in Tijuana. From there they sent him to Valle de Guadalupe as the person in charge of the criminal activities of the CJNG, and was the boss of another cell criminal known as "Los Lara".

Los Lara are under a CJNG cell in Tijuana and their main objective is to further street drug sales and drug trafficking activities in the Buenos Aires delegation.

Investigators say that much of the violence between the CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel in Ensenada is being orchestrated from CJNG leaders based in Tijuana. Among them include: Javier Adrián Beltrán Cabera AKA "El R4" or "El Pit", backed by Rodolfo López Arellano AKA "Cabo 30" and/or "Solecito", and Israel Alejandro Vázquez Vázquez, AKA "El Cabo 50" and/or "El Goofy".

Sources: Zeta Tijuana