9 Alleged CJNG Hitmen Arrested in Veracruz

"HEARST" for Borderland Beat

Nine alleged Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) members were ordered to stand trial by a judge on charges of attempted homicide, crimes against public security institutions and drug related offenses after they allegedly shot at law enforcement personnel who were executing a search warrant.

The Raids that Led to Gunfire 

A series of search warrants have been carried out in the municipalities of Jamapa and Medellín within the state of Veracruz, with the first one occurring back on April 19, 2022. These raids have been carried out by personnel from the Specialized Unit to Combat Kidnapping (UECS).

The raids were said to be the result of multiple tips that UECS had received about kidnapping activity that allegedly involved a cell of the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). 

While one of these searches was being carried out at a property, which was alleged to be used for kidnapping related activity, UECS personnel were shot at by a group of at least 9 CJNG members. 

Members of the Ministerial Police, as well as soldiers from the National Guard and Army (SEDENA) were acting as perimeter security for the UECS operation and they repelled the CJNG attack. They then chased down the attackers and arrested Mauri Nayeli "N", Marlene "N", Viridiana "N", Octavio "N", Octavio "N", Rebeca "N", José Fernando "N", Francisco Fabián "N", Ramón "N" and Pablo "N". 

The attackers were found to be in possession of a number of long barrel firearms, frag grenades, ammo, knives, as well as tactical vests with the insignia “CJNG”, helmets, knee pads, and radios.  

Protests and Indictment 

Alleged relatives and friends of some of the suspected CJNG members protested outside the state Attorney General’s Office in Xalapa on April 21, 2022. Within the protesting crowd, a large number of banners and placards in support of "Pablo, Nayeli and Octavio" in particular were seen. This was the second protest this group had led in support of the three.

A cousin of a detainee named Salvador Jácome chose to fully identify them and said they were protesting the arrest of Mauri Nayeli Noriega Jácome, her husband, Pablo Trinidad Carmona, and his father, Octavio Noriega Hernandez. He claims the three were not a part of the group of attackers but were instead inside their homes on Francisco I. Madero street when the attacks occurred. 

"They are hard-working people. Pablo works at Coca Cola, Octavio is a cab driver and Nayeli sells clothes, shoes and costume jewelry".

He says that police entered their home without a warrant and even alleges that officers stole merchandise from Nayeli's store. "That is why we came, because they took innocent people."

"They took them away as if they were real criminals, they are working people, they entered without a search warrant. What we come to say is that they are working people," she said.

All nine of the attackers were indicted on April 27, 2022, on charges of attempted homicide, crimes against public security institutions and drug related offenses. 

These kinds of protests can sometimes be secretly organized by a cartel as a way to pressure law enforcement to release cartel members from custody. There is also the possibility that the officers arrested three of the wrong people and made a mistake. No information is currently available about what kind of evidence the prosecution presented to the judge against these three detainees that led to their indictment.

The Mass Graves 

The state Attorney General’s Office released a statement saying that “as a result of these arrests” a number of mass graves were discovered Jamapa and Medellín, likely due to information the detainees shared during their post-arrest interviews. 

These mass graves are currently being exhumed by law enforcement. They are believed to contain the remains of people killed by the CJNG group. 

In May 2020, the Undersecretary for Human Rights Alejandro Encinas released figures that placed Veracruz as the state with the highest number of mass graves, with a total of 76 having been discovered. Of all the remains which were exhumed from them, at least 337 sets are still unidentified. 

On November 17, 2021, activists from the Solecito Collective announced the discovery of 65 bodies and at least 5,000 human remains located in the municipality of Alvarado.

Arrests & Grave Sources: Veracruz FGE Official Statement, Versiones, Imagen de Veracruz, Diario de Xalapa, Vanguardia Veracruz 

Protests Sources: El Heraldo de Veracruz, Vanguardia Veracruz, Libertad Bajo Palabra, Vivo Noticias