La Línea Cartel Boss 'El Menchaca' Self-Surrenders at Texas Border (Updated)

"Morogris" for Borderland Beat

Sergio Menchaca Pizarro, alias El Menchaca, El Robin, or El Negrin, is one of the top leaders of La Linea. His name was often abbreviated as Sergio M. P.

Sergio Menchaca Pizarro, also known by his alias "El Menchaca", who held the position of leader within the La Linea criminal group in Ojinaga, Chihuahua, was detained by United States authorities in Presidio, Texas. He was one of Chihuahua's most-wanted drug lords since 2019.

El Menchaca, who managed the entire Ojinaga region, spanning the municipalities of Coyame, Manuel Benavides, Aldama, and a segment of Ciudad Juárez under La Linea's purview, was taken into custody after crossing the Ojinaga-Presidio border area.

Local reports indicate the possibility that he might have voluntarily surrendered himself to the US authorities at the border crossing.

The information provided is currently in its initial stages, and further updates will be incorporated into this article as the situation progresses.

Background

Originally from the Las Nieves community (Ocampo municipality) in Durango, El Menchaca migrated to Chihuahua over twelve years ago with the intention of embarking on a career in organized crime.

He first settled in Chihuahua City, the state capital, where he gradually earned the trust of the old Juárez Cartel. Eventually, he assumed the role and responsibility of overseeing the Ojinaga territory for La Linea, the spin-off group of the old Juarez Cartel.

After the apprehension of Víctor Manuel Castillo Olivas in 2014, the alleged leader of the criminal group in Ojinaga, El Menchaca successfully ascended to this leadership position. He has held this role for nearly a decade and has even been marked as a primary target by the Mexican federal government.

Socorro Ramírez Luján, alias El Coyo, is another cited leader of La Linea in Ojinaga and its surrounding areas. It is not clear if El Menchaca is Coyo's second-in-command or just a plaza boss who reports to him.

Authorities report that El Menchaca had two prominent figures under his leadership, known as Neri C.A. (also known as El Quemado) and Bizcocho. El Quemado was arrested in 2017 in Ojinaga and is currently wanted by US authorities for violating his conditional release in 2007. There are no public records available for Bizcocho's status.

El Menchaca is suspected of being responsible for the 2021 murder of Andrés Lara Durán, a police commander with the State Investigatory Agency (AEI) stationed in Ojinaga.

The motive for the killing is officially unknown, but local media outlets say that Lara Duran was probably killed for heading a raid at a ranch owned by El Menchaca in Ojinada where several luxury vehicles were seized. At the scene, authorities seized a Porsche and Lamborghini that were stolen in the US and up to US$800,000 in cash.

Sources: Diario de Juarez; El Pueblo; El Heraldo de Chihuahua; El Monitor de Parral; Codigo 13 Parral

Background sources: Diario de Juarez (1); El Heraldo de Chihuahua (1); La Opcion; El Diario de Chihuahua

Update: Another article published by Diario de Juárez on 26 August 2023 says that he was born in the US and that he was known by US investigators by his alias El Negrín. The report said that he feared for his life and had already evacuated his family from Chihuahua.

Further reading

Notable Figures: La Línea Part I: Chihuahua