CJNG's “Don Carlos” Revealed To Be Carlos Pelayo Núñez, Charged with Drug & Weapons Possession

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

Don Carlos is considered to be one of the main operators of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

The Attorney General's Office (FGR) confirmed the link to the process of Carlos Pelayo Núñez, known previously only as Don Carlos, alleged head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in the Puerto Vallarta region, for crimes against health in the form of possession for commercial purposes of fentanyl and methamphetamine hydrochloride; possession of a firearm and ammunition for the exclusive use of the armed forces.

He supposedly supplied weapons and vehicles to the criminal organization in the tourist area of ​​Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, a city considered to be a center of operations of that criminal organization. In addition, it is known that he directly reported to El Mencho.

According to what was established in the investigation folder, Pelayo Núñez was arrested on January 20 by elements of the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena), the National Guard (GN), and the Federal Ministerial Police (PFM) of the Investigation Agency. Criminal (AIC), when they carried out a strong joint operation in an exclusive subdivision, as reported by Borderland Beat.

Authorities seized a long firearm, three magazines, 18 cartridges, 889.6 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, 2,387 fentanyl tablets, 8 cell phones, and a BMW X5.

The luxurious residence of Don Carlos was located on Gaviota Street, on the corner of Pelícano in the Marina Vallarta subdivision, a place where, according to local media reports, the presence of 150 troops from the event was reported, who surrounded the house of the alleged drug dealer.

Residents of the area reported what happened through their social networks: “It seems like a war zone ... and more here in the marina... helicopters hovering since 3 am and already parked inside the golf course, soldiers from the whale from the marina to the airport. Local and state police,” one Twitter user wrote.

Due to the importance that the detainee had within the criminal organization, and the possible repercussions that the security forces could face, the Sedena reserved all the information about what happened until January 22, two days after what happened. Don Carlos was placed in preventive detention as a precautionary measure, for which he was confined in the Center for Social Rehabilitation (CEFERESO) 13 in Oaxaca.

The Jalisco government had included the name of Don Carlos in its list of the most important drug traffickers in the region. Not to be confused with Carlos Andrés Rivera Varela, "La Firma," who has been designated as the right-hand man of Nemesio Oseguera, and who has his operational base in Vallarta.

Very little has been known about Carlos Pelayo Núñez prior to his arrest and processing. Judicial records do show an Amparo being filed in 2009 in Zapopan, Jalisco (a longtime territory of El Mencho) under the same name but not confirmed to have been filed by the same Don Carlos that was arrested in January.

Sources: Milenio, Infobae, Poder Judicial Virtual