CU's Los Correa Hitmen Attack National Guard & Kill Soldier, Michoacán

"HEARST" for Borderland Beat 

A shootout between members of Los Correa and soldiers from the National Guard in Hidalgo municipality in the state of Michoacán left two hitmen and one soldier dead.

The Attack

On January 15, 2022, National Guard soldiers were attacked by hitmen inside two vehicles while they were patrolling on Highway 120, near the small town of Ucareo, in the municipality of Hidalgo.   

The hitmen were said to belong to the regional cartel group Los Correa, who are regularly contested by the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generation for control of certain eastern Michoacán municipalities. The hitmen allegedly shot at the soldiers from inside a white sedan vehicle and a gray pick-truck. Their attack caused one of the soldiers to receive multiple gunshot wounds while he was trying to take cover behind his National Guard vehicle.

The other soldiers returned fire on the hitmen and requested backup on radio, meanwhile the hitmen's gray pick-up truck ended up crashing off to the right side of the road. The pick-up was left abandoned by the hitmen, who fled the area inside the white sedan. 

Army (SEDENA) soldiers, police officers and more National Guard soldiers were sent to support the injured team of soldiers. When the reinforcements arrived, the wounded soldier was escorted to the hospital to receive medical attention and the general area was searched, looking for the attackers. 

Eventually the white sedan was found and a second shootout occurred. A total of two cartel gunmen were killed, although it is not specified if they were killed in the first or the second confrontation with security forces. No arrests were reported and it was also not reported if more of the attackers were still at large. 

The injured was said to have died from his injuries. The two vehicles, the gray pick-up and the white sedan were seized by members of law enforcement along with multiple rifles, ammo and tactical equipment such as vests.

The Narco Camps 

This attack came just three days after the State police combed through the wooded areas of Hidalgo and Zinapécuaro municipalities where they found a total of five drug camps

A total of five drug camps were discovered and destroyed by federal and state forces in wooded areas in the municipalities of Zinapécuaro and Hidalgo. In the search, the forests surrounding the towns of San Antonio Villalongín, La Venta, Huajúmbaro, La Yerbabuena, Ojo de Agua, Los Azufres, Puente de Tierra and El Caracol were patrolled through. All five drug camps are reported in multiple news outlets as belonging to Los Correa, who are headed by Daniel Correa Velázquez, alias “El Tigre”.

At the drug camps, five vehicles were found and later seized by authorities.

Shootout Sources: SSP Official Statement, El Universal, La Silla Rota, Red Michoacan, Indicio Michoacán, Noticias Alerta Michoacán

Narco Camp Sources: Cuarto Poder Michoacan, El Clarin, La Región Linea, El Sol de Zamora