Police Commissioner Arrested for Providing Information to La Familia Michoacanan in State of Mexico

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Today it was announced that in Valle de Bravo, the police commissioner of the Municipal Police force was arrested for having slipped information on upcoming law enforcement operations to cartel members of La Familia Michoacána. 

On June 18 2021, state authorities arrested José Luis Zúñiga Archundia, the head of the Municipal Police force in Valle de Bravo, State of Mexico. The State Attorney General’s Office (FGJEM) released an official statement detailing that Commissioner Zúñiga was arrested for his probable commission in "crimes against the proper functioning of public security institutions.”

They stated that the commissioner is suspected of providing information “on activities and operations of security institutions” to cartel members.

Following his arrest at the hands of the FGJEM, Zuñiga was presented before a judge and detained in the state maximum security prison of Otumba. Security within Valle de Bravo has been shaky at best of late, as just a few weeks before the PRI municipal candidate was kidnapped by criminal elements and threatened with death should she not withdraw from the electoral race.

Can't find a version of this photo without the red circle.

Zuñiga was relatively new to the position of police commissioner, having only been appointed on August 24, 2020. 

The ceremony presenting Zuñiga as the new commissioner was hosted by the mayor of Valle de Bravo, Mauricio Osorio Domínguez. Mayor Osorio Domínguez said during the ceremony “We know him well and I am convinced that he will be an extraordinary commissioner.”

The ceremony highlighted that:

"During his tenure at the head of the state police, Zúñiga Archundia was characterized by having an unblemished reputation in terms of corruption, since he did not allow elements of the state police to be hotshots or extort money from Vallesan citizens during the operations he coordinated."

Commissioner Zuñiga accepted the position of commissioner, saying at the ceremony, "Rest assured that every day we will be with you, we will be working together and I consider it a challenge for me, personally, I thank you for everything."

Zúñiga Archundia, left, during the ceremony appointing him as commissioner.

Following his arrest at the hands of the FGJEM, Zuñiga was presented before a judge and detained in the state maximum security prison of Otumba. 

Despite the name “La Familia Michoacana”, the various remnant cells of the cartel operate beyond the border of Michoacán. Insight Crime writes that La Familia has cells in the states of Guerrero, Morelos, Guanajuato, Colima, Queretaro, Jalisco and Mexico City (and evidently the State of Mexico as well). Insight Crime details that La Familia is most active in 2020 in the states of Michoacán and Guerrero. 

As can be seen in the map below, Valle de Bravo municipality is relatively close to the state border with Michoacán.

As of October 2020, the FGJEM detected within the state of Mexico cells of La Familia Michoacana, the Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG), Union Tepito Cartel, Cártel del Nuevo Imperio, Cártel del Sur, Cártel del Golfo and Cártel de Sinaloa.

Sources: Official Statement by City Council, El Sol De Toluca, Excelsior, Cambio 22, Cronica, Infobae, Valor Por Tamaulipas, Digital Mex, Cadena Politica, La Silla Rota