Zacatecas - CDNZ Narco Sign, Videos of MZ & CJNG Patrols

"HEARST" and "Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

A human head stuffed inside a black bag was left in the city of Fresnillo, Zacatecas along with a narco message sign from CDNZ. New videos of Operativa MZ and CJNG members driving around in the general Valparaíso area suggest recent reports of both groups having an increased presence in the area may be true. The video also are a reminder of why so many residents of the small towns in the municipalities of Jerez, Fresnillo, Susticacán, Valparaíso and Tepetongo have had to flee the area due to the extreme violence of the cartel battles. 

CDNZ Leaves Human Head & Message in Fresnillo

At approximately 1:00 am in the early morning hours of April 2, 2022, social media users reported that a human head inside a black plastic bag had been placed in the Esparza neighborhood of the city of Fresnillo, Zacatecas. The human remains were accompanied with a narco message sign. 

There is only one photo of the narco sign as of the writing of this story and in this photo the message is largely obscured from view. What can be seen clearly is the sign appears to say that “Zacatecas will belong to the CDNZ”.

CDNZ may allude to a cell of Northeast Cartel (Cártel del Noreste, CDN) that is local to the Fresnillo area.

It is unlikely that Los Talibanes, despite their Los Zetas-associated roots (which is covered in detail in this previous story), would refer to themselves as “CDNZ”. In previous examples, Los Talibanes narco message signs have been signed as simply “Los Talibanes”.

It is worth noting that this discovery comes just hours after a motorcyclist was shot and killed in the same neighborhood. According to Express Zacatecas, another man was wounded in the encounter but few other details are available. 

Videos of Sinaloa Cartel’s Operativa MZ & CJNG Patrolling

On social media, new videos of Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) members patrolling somewhere near the city of Valparaíso have appeared. In addition, new videos of members of Sinaloa Cartel’s Operativa MZ sitting in the back of a truck, being driven somewhere in Zacatecas have also been posted.

Video Source: El Blog de los Guachos

Video Source: Operativa MZ on Twitter

Video translation is as follows, as translated by Sol Prendido:

Sicario #1: So, I was telling him that I don’t have any cocaine. But that I won’t be falling asleep here either. I can do this work without any type of aid. 

Sicario #2: We are the absolute mob of MZ. 

Sicario #3: Ok, then bud. Take out that bump for us. Take out that cocaine. 

Sicario #4 We are the fucking absolute mob of MZ.

These videos come after new reports that both El Mayo-associated Sinaloa Cartel groups and CJNG groups intended to reinforce and increase their presence in the state of Zacatecas.

There are primarily two major groups fighting in Zacatecas, the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel (Cártel de Sinaloa, CDS), specifically the Ismael Zambada García, “El Mayo”, aligned CDS groups. The general name for these El Mayo groups in Zacatecas is “Operativo MZ”, with MZ standing for Mayo Zambada. In recent months, the small mountain towns of Sarabia, Villa Hermosa, Palmas Atlas and Juanchorey have been deeply affected by CDS vs CJNG battles.

The towns hit hardest by the conflicts are highlighted in blue. 

Proceso magazine reported just last week that the towns of Sarabia and Palmas Atlas have been practically emptied of residents due to the extreme violence. Many of those fleeing moved to the capital city of Zacatecas and lived on the donations of others. "We live on charity, those who have children in the United States help them, but those of us who have nothing and are left with nothing, how do we do it?" laments Don Angel, one of the men from Sarabia. 

“To the north, in the communities of Fresnillo, there are those from Sinaloa, and to the south, to Valparaiso, those from Jalisco," says Luis, a young farmer.

The article goes on to describe how the residents of each town remember the first arrival of either CDS or CJNG forces. The locals say that cartel members first arrived in Palmas Altas in July 2020, posing as engineers who were going to build a road. "We lent them housing, but later they began to show up armed and in February 2021, suddenly, they took about seven people; two were found dead and the others were never heard from again," says Elías, the community delegate. 

One of the residents of the town of Sarabia.

In November 2021 an armed group took another four residents of Palmas Altas. Then, says Elías, "the people got more scared and fled, only five families were left, but in January of this year they took another one and those armed men warned them: get out or you die.”

It was in February 2021 when cartel members first arrived in the town of Sarabia. "At the beginning they didn't mess with anyone; we never thought that those 15-year-old boys, who we even felt sorry for, were going to rob us of our patrimony," says Elia, who left the town when they destroyed and looted her sick mother's house, then hers and then her brother's house.

Don Andrés was forced to abandon his ranch after living on it for over 80 years. Four months ago, cartel members had broken into his house and stole three televisions, work tools and his son's clothes. Don Andrés recounts this with clenched fists. 

"You couldn't tell them anything, you couldn't resist unless you wanted to go down; just had to bury what you felt in your gut."

CDNZ Sign Sources: Ángel Martínez Tweet 1, Tweet 2, Tweet 3, Guardia Zacatecas, El Zac, NTR Zacatecas, InfoSinCensuraMX

CJNG & CDS Videos Sources: Operativa MZ on Twitter, El Blog de los Guachos, Proceso Magazine