7 Dismembered By CJNG's Grupo X, Threaten Los Correa In Hidalgo, Michoacán

"HEARST" and "Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat 

The Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) left a narco message sign near the dismembered remains of seven bodies in Hidalgo in the state of Michoacán. In the sign, the CJNG subgroup “Grupo X” named and threatened the leader of Los Correa, a local cartel which controls the territory where the remains were left.

On the afternoon of November 6, 2021, a taxi cab was left abandoned by alleged cartel members on Cuauhtémoc street in the city of Hidalgo, the capital city of the municipality of Hidalgo which is located in the northeastern section of the state of Michoacán.

Residents of the area reported to the 911 emergency phone line that a suspicious vehicle had been left parked on the street. Officers were dispatched to the location and when the officers approached the vehicle, they saw human remains inside the driver’s side cabin of the vehicle. 

When officers popped the trunk of the vehicle, more human remains were discovered along with a narco message sign left presumably by the perpetrators. The vehicle was a white sedan taxi cab. Agents from the Specialized Crime Scene Unit (Unidad Especializada en la Escena del Crimen, UEEC) were sent to the crime scene to process the evidence.

Warning: Graphic photos below this point.

Alleged photo of the trunk of the cab.

The human remains were dismembered and belonged to seven different men according to the official press release from the Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalía General del Estado, FGE). In alleged photos of the crime scene, the remains can be seen to have been stuffed in plastic garbage bags. The photos also reveal that some of the seven men were beheaded. Law enforcement authorities have so far not been able to determine the identity of the seven bodies.

The sign read as follows, as translated by Sol Prendido:

We’ve arrived in Hidalgo city. 

Daniel Correa we’re coming after you and all that gang of scumbags.  

Sincerely, 

“CJNG” 

Grupo “X”

Cartel Landscape of the Area

Los Correa & La Familia Michoacana The “Daniel Correa” referred to in the narco message sign likely refers to Daniel Correa Velázquez, alias “El Tigre”, who leads the local cartel Los Correa. The group is allegedly centered around the Correa crime family which controls the municipality of Hidalgo.

Back in March, the news agency EFE obtained a reported developed by the Michoacán Security Ministry on Los Correa. The report detailed that the family has allegedly been involved in illegal logging within the state for at least two decades. In the last few years, the cartel has allegedly expanded beyond logging and moved into marijuana cultivation, the production of synthetic drugs, extortion, and kidnapping.

According to the report, Los Correa is currently believed to have an alliance with La Familia Michoacana (LFM), a larger cartel organization with a long history within the state. Despite the name “La Familia Michoacana”,  the group now actually holds more influence in states outside of Michoacan, such as the State of Mexico. The LFM group that is closest in proximity to Los Correa’s territory is led by Medardo Hernández Vera, alias "El Mantecas”, "Lalo Mantecas" or “El 100", whose base of operations is Tiquicheo, Tuzantlam, Susupuato and Zitacauro.

Lalo Mantecas is believed to report to Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga, alias “El Pez”, and his brother, Jose Alfredo Hurtado, alias “La Fresa”, leaders of one the of the major LFM groups.

CJNG Grupo X & Chito Cano Both Los Correa and Lalo’s LFM group primarily fight against the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). The message is signed by the CJNG sub group called “Grupo X”. They are believed to have the municipalities of Zitácuaro and Tuxpan. Frustratingly few details are available on the leadership of Grupo X.

Grupo X video

In January 2021, Grupo X appeared on video with a message directed to the people of Hidalgo city, in Hidalgo municipality, Michoacan. In it they describe Lalo Manteca’s group and the Los Correa organization as extortionists of the people and threaten them. Grupo X then warns people to not support those two groups or else they will be held accountable along with them. 

On May 11, 2021, a group of 7 empty pickup trucks, all marked with the insignia for Grupo X was discovered by law enforcement/military members in Zinapécuaro, Michoacan. Then on July 15, 2021, narcomantas signed by Grupo X were left in Zitacuaro, Michoacan. 

Their closest CJNG in terms of proximity is believed to be the CJNG group led by Alejandro Carranza Ramírez alias “Chito Cano”. Chito Cano has an extensive history of fighting against Lalo’s LFM group, covered here in further detail. 

Video of Chito Cano's "Gente de la Senor de Valle", another alias he uses.

There was then an announcement of a truce between the CJNG and LFM groups operating near Taxco, Guerrero on May 29, 2020. However the truce ended within less than a day when LFM members began threatening the CJNG and showing off weapons they were preparing to use against them. The CJNG responded in kind with a narcomanta threatening LFM placed on May 30, 2020. 

Recently it was believed that the LFM group led by José Pineda González, alias “El JP”,  had an alliance with the CJNG Chito Cano group however tensions seem to be rising quickly. On July 15, 2021, the CJNG accused Lalo Mantecas of having an alliance with Los Correa in flyers they distributed. They also asserted that they will not be leaving the area and telling locals not to pay the LFM protection fee.

 

Photo Credit: Fernand, Alerta Jalisco, Noventa Grados 

Sources: Official Press Release FGE, Associated Press, La Silla Rota, Vanguardia, GrupoMarmor, Diario de México, Noticieros.Televisa, La Prensa, Red Michoacan, La Opinion, Infobae, TeleAmazonas