A confrontation with cartel hitmen near the border between Nuevo León and Tamaulipas, left a National Guard soldier killed and another soldier wounded. Five police patrol cars, two Civil Forces vehicles and three National Guard vehicles were all burned by hitmen, who are presumed to be members of the Northeast Cartel (Cártel del Noreste, CDN).
The Battle
On the night of December 30, 2021, State Police officers were doing routine vehicular surveillance patrols as part of their duties at a checkpoint on the Peña Blanca-Comales highway.
This checkpoint is located near the town of Los Aldamas, on the border between the state of Tamaulipas and Nuevo León, near the municipalities of Dr. Coss and Los Aldamas in Nuevo Leon, as well as Camargo in Tamaulipas, as seen below.
The police officers happened upon a group of armed men, who had at least one armored vehicle, congregating near the Tamaulipas border.
When the men spotted the police vehicle, they reportedly ducked for cover in the brushy undergrowth to the side of the highway and opened fire on them with high-powered rifles; Dominion Medios reported that the hitmen used multiple 50-cal rifles during the attack. The State Police returned fire towards the hitmen.
According to Frontera Al Rojo Vivo, after a series of back and forth bursts of gunfire between the two groups, the officers reportedly ran out of ammunition, which forced them to abandon their patrol vehicles and retreat to another position, in a different spot of brushy undergrowth near the highway where they radioed, asking for support from other security forces.
Vanguardia reports that during this time, the hitmen approached their empty patrol vehicles and set them on fire.
Soldiers from the National Guard, who were nearby, responded to the radio request for support and approached the battle location but the cartel hitmen ambushed their approaching vehicle. This reportedly caused the death of National Guard soldier Carlos Miguel "N".
The confrontation was then joined by soldiers of the Civil Force and more from the National Guard.
The hitmen reportedly used fragmentation grenades on their vehicles, which eventually caused three National Guard vehicles and two Civil Forces vehicles to catch on fire. During the series of gunfights, police officer Elizabeth "N" reportedly received a gunshot wound to her ankle.
Eventually, even more reinforcements arrived, both from the Army (SEDENA) and from the Ministerial Police.
The confrontation stopped, although it is unclear how exactly it ended. It is presumed that some of the hitmen managed to escape as no arrests or deaths of armed men were reported in the government press release on the incident.
In total, the confrontation resulted in one dead National Guard soldier, one injured police officer, five police patrol cars, two Civil Forces vehicles and three National Guard vehicles destroyed from fire damage.
The Cartel Landscape of the Area
Website Frontera Al Rojo Vivo alleges the hitmen from this shooting belonged to the Northeast Cartel (Cártel del Noreste, CDN). Los Aldamas municipality has previously been the location of a deadly ambush on National Guard soldiers by CDN, as back in May 2021, a confrontation occurred that left 15 soldiers wounded and one dead. Videos of that confrontation can be seen in this previous article by MX.
The region near Dr. Coss and Aldamas has been a hotbed for battles between the CDN against Gulf Cartel (Cartel Del Golfo, CDG) forces under the leadership of "El Primito" in the last few months. On September 20, 2021, burned out vehicles and fresh graffiti tags for CDN were found in General Bravo municipality after an alleged CDN and CDG battle, as previously covered here. On October 15, 2021, SEDENA soldiers found six burned out monstruos (or monster trucks, specially armored cartel vehicles designed for battle) left from an alleged CDN against CDG confrontation, as previously covered on Borderland Beat here.
Reports say that the CDN commanders in the Los Aldamas and Dr Coss region are Ricardo Chapa, alias “El Ricky” and a man known by the alias “'El Amarillo”. They allegedly report to the overall leader of CDN Juan Gerardo Treviño Chavez, alias “El Huevo”.
Sources: Jornada, Milenio, Vanguardia, Lopez Doriga, Periodico Nuevo León Times, MX Politico, Frontera Al Rojo Vivo, ABC Noticias Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Dominion Medios
Further Reading:
Raw Videos From Recent Ambush in Los Aldamas, Nuevo León, Circulate on Social Media
CDG vs CDN Battle Leaves At Least 4 Dead in General Bravo, Nuevo León
CDN vs CDG: Six Scorched Monstruos, Two Killed In Dr Coss, Nuevo León
I wonder why Treviño brothers Z40/Z42 have not been extradited to the USA.
ReplyDeleteBased on history it seems like anytime key players are killed or extradited you get major blowback. Keeping them in mexico brings a sense of "stability".. Osiel cardenas's capture and extradition resulted in the splinter between the gulf and zetas. Now you have groups that have splintered from there as a result of bosses being caught or killed. Same goes for Juarez. Amado Carrillos death created a vacuum and the result is what we see now. Same can be said about Tijuana. Look at the Pacific. It's a mess because key players were killed or extradited. BLO's, Mayos, Chapo's, Jaliscos, even Damasos are a result of government intervention. What do you get? Major instability. If they would've been kept alive or on Mexican soil,I think they would've been calling shots from inside their cells while keeping some order on the outside. Its definitely a lot more complex but that's JMO.
DeleteThat makes a lot of sense.However other leaders that have been captured after Treviños brothers have been extradited also lets not forget the race horse money laundering. Ase in the usa for z42
DeleteThe one incident that comes to mind is the number of lives that were lost in Allende when the DEA dropped the ball and released information regarding the Treviños whereabouts. These guys are ruthless and if extradited I think they're capable of replicating that times ten. Maybe both governments are trying to avoid another allende. Again, just my thoughts.
DeleteYou clowns really think the US gives A SH!T about stability in mexico?! You guys are hillarious!
Delete@101, After fast and the furious and Allende its obvious they don't. That's why AMLO exonerated Cienfuegos and denied the DEA's visa.
Delete1:48 great let's also exonerate, the millions in Aid, given to Mexico yearly. The Mexician Navy also did not meet. the yearly quota of siezures, so your right it is not looking good for Mexico.
Delete@7:46, I don't think it has anything to do with that. Plenty of other leaders from other organizations have been extradited in that time period. And I don't think Amado's situation has anything to do with any current events. That happened a few decades ago. Plain and simple it's corruption and fear the reason for them still being on Mexican soil and that's a shame and embarrassing. Them and cjng are the ones that attack and harm law enforcement the most. The disgust factor for the politicians on this is pretty damn high on my scale. And I'm putting it nicely....Just my humble opinion
DeleteMy goodness the government got wrecked. What’s worse is they ran out of ammo. How embarrassing to get in a tic and run out of ammo
ReplyDeleteEdgar don't the government think ahead during a crisis? They could have dispatched a Blackhawk, with crates of ammo and parachuted it to it's location.
DeleteThey only had three cargadores each. The fuerza civil NL state police have recently started patrolling the area about 3 weeks ago Samuelito García los está mandando al matadero
DeleteEdgar Alvarado wake up, we ask you question, and you act like a zombie.
DeleteCdn don’t mess around multiple 50 cals and grenades
ReplyDeleteATTE SCOTTISH ZETA