Feds Announce CJNG's El Tartas And The Wife of CJNG's Don Jose Have Been Arrested

"HEARST" and "Itzli" for Borderland Beat

During a presidential press conference a number of notable unreported or underreported cartel arrests were mentioned, including the arrest of the wife of a CJNG leadership figure within Michoacán and the arrest of CJNG leader “El Tartas” in Zacatecas. 

The Press Conference 

On February 21, 2022, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador had the Secretary of Security give the monthly security report as a part of his daily morning press conference. 

Secretary of Security Rosa Icela Rodríguez Velázquez said “As every month, around the 20th, today we report good results of the coordinated work in which all of Mexico's security and justice institutions participate, fulfilling the presidential commitment of zero impunity and zero corruption.” She reviewed various statistics then the Undersecretary of Security Ricardo Sóstenes Mejía Berdeja was given the floor. 

Still from the press conference with the Undersecretary on left, and President Lopez Obrador on right.

He reviewed some of the most notable arrests or prosecutions that have occurred since the beginning of the year, many of which were alleged cartel members. Video of this can be seen here and it begins at around the 55 minute mark. Various photos and details he shared had never been announced prior. He reviewed the following, detailed in chronological order: 

January 3, 2022 - Michoacán - CJNG

Juana Emilia "N" was arrested in Puerto Piedad, in the state of Michoacán. She is an alleged member of the CJNG and the presumed romantic partner of José Ayala Pérez, alias “Don Jose”.  According to the slide shown during the press conference, Don Jose is the CJNG plaza boss for La Piedad, Michoacán. 

Note: This is the first time that her arrest was made public and there were no articles covering her arrest prior to this press conference.  

 

Slide shown during the press conference.

 

January 6, 2022 - Zacatecas

Juan Carlos "N", alias "El 09″, and Perla Elizabeth "N" were arrested for kidnapping and killing the 10 people whose bodies were later abandoned in front of the Zacatecas state capitol building on January 6, 2022.

 

Images are stretched on the slide they showed during the press conference.

Note: A part of the slide reads "He is considered Regional Boss of the CJNG in Zacatecas in charge of extortion, kidnapping, charging extortion fees, retail drug sales and responsible for executions".

January 8, 2022 - State of Mexico - LFM

Juan Manuel "N" and Octavio "N" were arrested in the State of Mexico. They are presumed members of La Familia Michoacána (LFM).

 

 

January 18, 2022 - Puebla

Gustavo "N", Jair "N" and José Agustín "N" in Xochimehuacan, Puebla, for the clandestine siphoning of gasoline as well as the explosion of an gas pipe in that area.  

 

January 20, 2022 - Jalisco - CJNG
"Don Carlos", of the CJNG, was arrested in Puerto Vallarta for drug trafficking.

 

Note: The photos of the evidence that are seen in the slide they showed below, such as the packages of drugs and the firearms, had not been released to the public prior. A part of the slide reads "Don Carlos is the alleged regional boss and logistics coordinator of the CJNG […] Allegedly in charge of coordinating the production of meth, trafficking and distribution of marijana, seizing properties, extortion, homicides, kidnappings, clandestine lumbering, corrupting and intimidating local authorities and training cells of sicarios." 

January 21, 2022 - Quintana Roo

Christian "N" and Nhu "N" were arrested in Quintana Roo for the shooting at the Xcaret Hotel. (Borderland Beat story here)

January 25, 2022 - Querétaro - LFM

Juan Pedro “N”, alias "El Pitufo", from the group La Familia Michoacana (LFM) was arrested in Querétaro for ambushing police officers on March 18, 2021 in Coatepec Harinas, State of Mexico. The slide presented alleges that El Pitufo directly reported to Artemio “N”, alias “El Mala”.

January 27, 2022 - Hidalgo Two leaders of an organized crime group, named Estefanía "N", alias "Mujer Maravilla" and Kevin Daniel "N", alias “El Kiwi”, were arrested in Tulancingo, Hidalgo, for migrant smuggling.  

Three members of their group were also arrested. They are named:  Marcos Fernando "N", alias “El Conta”, Victor Alfredo "N", alias “El Chino”, and Fermín "N".

February 2, 2022 - Michoacán
Two alleged kidnappers in Michoacán. They also released a person allegedly deprived of his freedom in the town of La Cabanas.

February 3, 2022 - Mexico City - Union Tepito
Jonathan "N", alias "El Johnny” of the Union Tepito was arrested.

For the slide which covers "El Johnny" and the two kidnappers in Michoacán, only a wide show was shown.

Note: A part of the slide reads he is "considered to be one of the principal generators of violence in Jerez, Villanueva, Fresnillo and Zacatecas."

February 3, 2022 - Zacatecas - CJNG

CJNG leader Victor Manuel "N", alias "El Tartas", was arrested in Zacatecas. He was arrested along with seven other alleged members whose names are: Frida "N"; Juan Pablo "N"; Juan "N"; Luis "N"; Yésica "N"; Dana "N" and Wuilbert "N". 

February 3, 2022 - Puebla

Nadia Carolina "N", Antonio "N", Jessica "N", Sergio "N" and Gerardo "N" were arrested for bringing the body of a baby to the San Miguel prison in Puebla. (Borderland Beat story here).  

 

February 4, 2022 - Morelos
José Antonio "N" in Puente Ixtla, Morelos, alleged son of the leader of a criminal group in that area. (Borderland Beat story here)

February 5, 2022 - Sinaloa - CDS

Aquiles "N", Benjamín "N" and Óscar Alfonso "N" in Mocorito, Sinaloa, members of a cell that operates for the Sinaloa Cartel (Cartel de Sinaloa, CDS). This cell is led by the children of the deceased leader Fidel “N”, alias “El Fidelito”. 

February 15, 2022 - Guanajuato - LFM

Luis Enrique "N", alias "El Oaxaco", in Guanajuato of Familia Michoacana, was sentenced for aggressions against police and state prosecutors. He is a presumed member of La Familia Michoacana.  

 

February 18, 2022 - Sinaloa - CDS

José Bryan Salgueiro, alias “El Menor” or “El 90”, who was arrested in Culiacan, Sinaloa, but the arrest warrant was issued in Chihuahua, accused of kidnapping and being part of a criminal group. 

February 15-18, 2022 - Zacatecas

Gamaliel "N", Marco "N", Luis Miguel "N" and two women for the deprivation of liberty and murder of five young people who left a bar in Zacatecas.

Sources: Official Video of Press Conference, Official Transcript of Morning Press Conference, MSN, Julio Astillero