CJNG Fighting CDS for Teocaltiche, Jalisco

"HEARST" for Borderland Beat

Updated & Revised. See note above sources.

The Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) is allegedly fighting Sinaloa Cartel (CDS) for the municipalities of Teocaltiche, Villa Hidalgo, Encarnación de Díaz which are located in north of Jalisco state, near the border with Zacatecas.  

CDS leaders, with historic regional roots in the area, are allegedly involved in the fight and they are rumored still be allied with La Nueva Plaza, a group that is a longtime rival of the CJNG.

Three Arrested In Teocaltiche, Jalisco

On the afternoon of December 11, 2021, three suspicious men driving a SUV in the town of Teocaltitán in the municipality of Teocaltiche were detected by a State Police patrol. 

The State Police saw that as soon as the three men spotted their patrol vehicle, they immediately tried to leave the area. Finding this behavior to be suspect, the police officers pulled up behind them and requested they pull over, which they complied with. 

The stolen SUV that the three men were driving.

After running the plates of the vehicle, it was determined that the SUV had been stolen back July 6, 2021 so the three were placed under arrest.  Then the vehicle was searched and multiple pieces of radio communication (but no firearms) were seized. 

The detainees were identified as Camerino "N", 29 years old, from Tabasco; Fernando "N", 28 years old, from Michoacán; and Sergio "N", 29 years old, from Zacatecas.

Photos of the three detainees.

One may assume based on the stolen vehicle and radios but a lack of firearms in the vehicle or on their person that the men are suspected of being “halcones”, or “hawks”, which are low-level lookouts paid by a cartel organization for information on police movements. 

New Battle Leaves Seven Dead 

The arrest of three halcones is notable mainly because two violent cartel battles have occurred within the last week in the same area.  

Results of the first battle on December 5, covered in previous story.

The first battle occurred on December 5, 2021 in the town of Huejotitlán and was covered in detail in this story. Then, a second battle occurred shortly after, which was not yet covered on Borderland Beat, just three days later. 

On December 8, 2021, gunshots were heard in the early morning hours throughout Teocaltiche. The sound of the gun battles in the area led the municipality to cancel classes at schools for the day out of a concern for the safety of the children. 

The mayor, Juan Manuel Vallejo Pedroza, was asked by a video call for more details on the class cancellation and he said "It seems that they canceled something like that. They commented to me in the morning and for security I told them that it was a good idea because noise was heard and it seems that yes, the minors remained in their homes," said the mayor of this Jalisco municipality.

Two of the vehicles found that resulted from the December 8 clashes.

The next day, the result of the cartel battles that occurred were discovered. The remains of seven men were found inside seven abandoned vehicles. The general strategic coordinator of Security, Ricardo Sánchez Beruben confirmed that during this week there were two confrontations near Teocaltiche, Jalisco, and directly across the border in Zacatecas. 

Footage from car driving by the damaged vehicles, no graphic content. Video Source: Notiface

Sanchez Beruben explained that these clashes are between rival organized crime groups who were currently fighting for control of this region.  "They are antagonistic groups. It is a reality that is being experienced throughout the country. It is a dispute of territory by organized crime groups and in the border areas of the state," reiterated Ricardo Sanchez Beruben.

He then detailed what investigators and police have discovered as far as the results of the battles so far, saying “There have been two specific confrontations in the border area of ​​Teocaltiche, bordering between Jalisco and Zacatecas; Five vehicles were seized on Monday [results of December 5 clashes] and seven yesterday [the results of the December 8 clashes], the same ones in which the forensic team is already working. "

Later the special regional prosecutor of Jalisco, Jose Alberto Mora Trujillo, said that now eight vehicles and more than 100 shell casings have been found at the location related to the December 8 clashes.

Speaking to the press, the Regional Prosecutor said "So far eight vehicles have been secured, three of them with handmade armor. And inside one of these armored vehicles seven people were found dead. Two 40mm grenades were also seized, as well as a long barrel gun, and more than 100 bullet casings," said the prosecutor.

The Sinaloa Cartel Municipalities Within Jalisco

Martín Alejandro Beltrán Coronel, alias “El Águila” is believed to currently control the area of Teocaltiche. El Águila is the cousin of Emma Coronel, who is the wife of Chapo. 

He is believed to be a part of La Corona. He is known to be an ally CJNG's rival organization La Nueva Plaza during the time when it was led by El Cholo. 

Link to high-resolution version of map

With these recent battles in Teocaltiche, it may at first appear to be CDS is making a new incursion into the CJNG's home state however Teocaltiche, Villa Hidalgo and Encarnation (called La Chona by some locals) have had connection to CDS associated families since before the CJNG was even formed. 

Photo from a 2005 wanted poster about men associated with El Chapo, found in Malcom Beith's book Last Narco. Thank you to a reader who submitted the photo. 

Teocaltiche had historically belonged to Sinaloa Cartel's Mario González Gutiérrez, alias “Don Mario”, who is said to have been close to Ismael Zambada, "El Mayo". 

His son, Mario González Martínez took over control of Teocaltiche following his father's death. He, however, was arrested alongside four other men by Federal Police while he was in Teocaltiche on May 15, 2009. 

Newspaper El Siglo de Torreon wrote at the time that "intelligence work places González Martínez as one of the most trusted men of Joaquín Guzmán Loera, 'El Chapo' Guzmán, who serves as his operator in the Sinaloa region and is also in charge of supervising the operation of this criminal organization in the area of Los Altos, Jalisco."

Update 12/14/2021: Previous version of story alleged El Aguila was a part of La Nueva Plaza. After further research this has been retracted and re-written to reflect the change.

Update 12/17/2021: New profile of Don Mario with a photo added to article. The photo is from a 2005 wanted poster about men associated with El Chapo, found in Malcom Beith's book Last Narco. Big thank you to a reader who submitted the photo.

Three Arrested Sources: El Occidental, Noticel, Alerta Jalisco, Lider919

New Battle and Seven Dead: Milenio, televisa.NEWS, Noticias en la Mira, Guardia Nocturna, TeleDiario 

Background Sources: El Siglo de Torreon, Informador Article 1, Article 2, Union Jalisco