Cartel de Sinaloa Controls Baja California

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

The capture of El Babay generated an internal dispute within the CJNG in La Paz and Los Cabos.

Recent violent incidents involving the presence of armed groups in La Paz and Comondú have raised the alarm for the Mesa de Seguridad in Baja California Sur, as these events were provoked by the same criminal group, such as the attack on Comondú municipal agents in Ciudad Constitución on the night of September 25, where around 15 heavily armed assassins were recorded on video as they brutally beat the police officers.

In addition to the irruption of an armed criminal cell  with assault rifles on the evening of Saturday, October 8, when 30 gunmen entered the Chapel of San Juan Bautista in San Juan de los Planes - municipality of La Paz - and tried to abduct a couple from Tijuana, Baja California, but when they did not find them, they took another couple who hours later would be released.

Situations that marked a turning point in the State Government that, in the face of so many warnings, raised the  alert level. 

"We are on alert because the event in Comondú was not just any old thing, we have to strengthen, the regional commander of the Army was here just to shield us, so that Sonora, Sinaloa, Baja California, we have to be more careful. It seems that the same group has been working here in the area," acknowledged the governor of Baja California, Victor Castro Cosio.

In the latest map prepared by members of the State Criminal Investigation Agency and the State Government, the Pacific Cartel or Sinaloa Cartel (CDS) is in total control of criminal activities in BCS, mainly kidnappings, retail drug trafficking, extortion and kidnappings. The most alarming are from Puerto San Carlos (Comondú), La Paz and Los Cabos.

This is evidenced by the seizures of weapons and drugs, as well as executions and disappearances. It is known that the Pacific Cartel is in control of drug trafficking on the ground; other organizations could have a presence, but only by sea and air in the transfer of drugs, not by being formally installed in the state. Those are the data we have from intelligence tests," an agent from the state Public Security Bureau told ZETA.

"I don't know what it's called, but there is a group that participated in Los Planes, and we suspect, we see that it is probably linked to the fact, when they beat the police in Constitución, that fact has already been prosecuted, fortunately they were quickly apprehended (3 of 15 assassins), but we are still investigating," said the governor.

It seems that "the criminal group" that the state administration recognizes is the Pacific Cartel, and that the National Palace is already in its sights. The President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, was reportedly addressing the issue during his most recent visit to BCS.

The information in government agencies has been capitalized and handled with total secrecy, and although it was already an open secret since the complaint of the collection of money from fishermen in Puerto San Carlos at the beginning of 2022, the problem wasn’t recognized until it was evidenced in video via social networks.

"I could not say names, it would be like slipping a topic to which I do not refer, we will give a talk on November 5 or 6, on public safety, because there are very interesting things, but other very worrying matters and this is one. The president is coming to see the issue of health and security," added Castro Cosio.

THE DIVISION ACCORDING TO FGR AND SEDENA

It seems that there is a lack of coordination in the federal, state and municipal intelligence reports, each institution recognizes a rearrangement and very different dominant groups.

According to the Attorney General's Office (FGR), the country is divided into nine criminal organizations and/or drug cartels, which in turn are divided into 37 criminal cells, and between them all participate in the generation of violence for the control of the national territory in the sale and distribution of narcotics.

They drew up a criminal map that remains in effect since 2014 and to date "has not changed much," suggesting that in BCS there is a presence of the Pacific Cartel through "Los 28"; of Los Beltran Leyva with the cells of "Los Mazatlecos," with influence in Sinaloa; and "La Oficina," with a presence in Aguascalientes.

Surprisingly, the FGR does not consider the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in the state, despite multiple military intelligence reports, testimonies of drug dealers arrested and wounded in the criminal battle.

What does stand out is the official entry of the "Los 28" cell into the state since 2015, as stated by the Attorney General's Office in intelligence reports delivered at the end of that year. Since July 31, 2014, when the war between cartels broke out in BCS, the presence of the CDS was clear.

Sinaloa's fight against local cells involved the participation of "La Barredora," a cell from the state of Guerrero; "Gente Nueva," from Sinaloa and Chihuahua; and "Los 28," natives of Baja California Sur who changed sides and Monterrey, Nuevo Leon.

They were also supported in the fight by the "Dámaso Special Forces" cell, until they were able to establish themselves in Baja Sur.

Those who confronted them on behalf of Los Beltran Leyva are "Los Mazatlecos", originally from Sinaloa and BCS, and in the southern part of the state, "La Oficina".

Another - unofficial - report from the Sedena indicates that in "some points like La Paz an alliance was established to operate peacefully, an agreement of no confrontations and respect for the territories.

The database establishes by locality and leadership:

* Cabo San Lucas- CJNG

* San Jose del Cabo - "Chapo Isidro" (Los Beltran Leyva)

* La Paz-CJNG and minor presence of CDS

* Comondú - "Los Menores" CDS)

* Loreto - Caborca Cartel (Caro Quintero)

* Mulegé - In dispute for being the entrance to BCS.

Certainly it is a back and forth of criminal reports of the institutions, however, the branch of the FGR that is dedicated in organized crime investigations responded to dozens of requests for public information through the National Transparency Platform, in which since 2014 is practically the same document. The only changes are the date and the Government that issues it.

Perhaps it is the evidence they have, but the intelligence units of the different corporations, at least in Baja California Sur, detail the presence of other criminal organizations that the "official report" does not contemplate or is far from the reality on the streets.

The FGR omits criminal cells that were present, such as "Fuerzas Especiales Dámaso" (FED), the cell of "El Colores", "Los Compadrones", Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada's "Los Mayitos" and "Los Pepillos" - formerly Beltrán Leyva - who joined Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

Narco messages, graffiti and a high level of violence, evidenced the presence of the CJNG. However, for the authorities of Baja California Sur it was not enough to accept the reality.

US: CJNG DOMINATES BCS

The report "Mexico: Organized Crime Organizations and Drug Trafficking," published by the U.S. Congressional Research Service on June 7, 2022, reveals a panorama closer to what the country and Baja California Sur are going through, which encompasses the wars for drug control.

One of the main concerns of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is "the CJNG's ambitious expansion campaign, characterized by high levels of violence.

The U.S. Congressional Research Service directly links the violent surge in Baja California Sur since 2014, particularly in 2019, when CJNG allied with the remnants of the Arellano Felix Cartel (CAF) of Tijuana, Baja California and founded the recently formed alliance called the Tijuana Cartel New Generation (CTNG) to take on the Pacific (CDS) on the Baja California Peninsula.

According to James Bosworth, a regional analyst for Latin America, the main cartels leading the war in Mexico according to data obtained from open sources and interviews with journalists are CJNG, Sinaloa, Juarez, Gulf and Los Zetas.

Precisely the specialist places Jalisco New Generation Cartel with having absolute control of BCS, although in another report developed by StratFor, a private intelligence and international security analysis company at the service of US government agencies, revealed in 2021 the presence of the CJNG in Southern California as predominant to the Sinaloa Cartel.

The US Congress recognizes the Jalisco Cartel - New Generation as the trigger for criminal violence in Baja California, Baja California Sur, Nayarit, Sonora and other states.

Zeta Tijuana