Poza Rica: 17 Dismembered Victims of the CJNG and a Message from the Coalition Against the CJNG

"HEARST" and "Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

The frozen and dismembered bodies of at least 17 people were found in Poza Rica, Veracruz. The victims were allegedly killed by the CJNG, who are led by the local CJNG leader "El Coco".

Warning: Some graphic images shown below.

The August 13 Discovery 

At dawn on Sunday, August 13, cartel members and state police officers got into a shootout in the Oscar Torres Pancardo neighborhood of Poza Rica, Veracruz. The cartel members eventually fled the area, running on foot into the Guadalupe Victoria neighborhood, where at least one of them ducked into a home on Gutiérrez Zamora Street. 

Police pursued after them and entered the home. Inside the house, police found the cartel member they had been chasing and three people who were being held captive. 

Officers arrested the hitman and began the process of freeing the captives, meanwhile other officers searched the property. They found firearms, ammo, and drugs, which were quickly seized, along with a number of suspicious looking deep freezers. 

When the freezers were opened, they found dismembered human remains inside. The severed remains were said to have been wrapped in clear plastic and stacked inside several chest-style deep freezers.

The Yucatan Times writes that neighbors had reported strong foul odors emanating from the residence for several days. 

Several other properties were searched. A home located on Avenida Papantla, in the Jardines neighborhood, was found to contain more deep freezers containing human remains. 

 

A house on Chapultepec street in the Las Vegas neighborhood was searched and two people who are believed to be involved with the remains were arrested. Another person who is allegedly involved was arrested inside a home in the Laredo neighborhood. 

A total of six individuals were detained for their alleged involvement with the remains. It is unclear where the other two individuals were apprehended. The Veracruz Attorney General’s Office (FGE) released a brief statement on the frozen remains but chose not to publish images of those arrested. 

 

 

The Number of Bodies

 

Initially, the media reported that 34 bodies had been found inside the freezers, however, state authorities have clarified that they could only confirm 13 sets of remains had been found.

 

Verónica Hernández, the Attorney General of Veracruz, did warn that the number of dead may rise as the investigation continues.

 

She told reporters that due to the “way the human remains were found”, they were unable to determine the exact number of victims but further testing would help them conclude just how many bodies had been found in the upcoming days.

 

On August 20, citizen-run missing persons groups reported that the original count of 13 bodies had risen to 17 bodies. 

Veracruz's governor, Cuitláhuac García Jiménez, alleged that the remains in the freezers are part of the larger cartel war in the area.

 

 

Narco Message on August 17

On August 17, 2023, a number of narco message signs from the cartel group “Los Tercios” appeared at different locations in the general area of Poza Rica.

One of the messages was placed at Kilometer 47 of the Poza Rica - Cazones highway, near the town of La Victoria. This message was accompanied by dismembered human remains which were scattered on the ground in front of the message, near some industrial buildings.

State Police officers were called to the scene and quickly cordoned off the area. The message read as follows, as translated by Sol Prendido:

The purge has arrived. And we’ve already demonstrated that we’ve come to do our work. The city of Poza Rica now belongs to us. 

Cuitláhuac, what exactly are you waiting for? What did El Coco give you that you’re protecting him so much? Do you actually believe that bullshit that El Wacho, Romel, and El 5.7 are no longer in Poza Rica? 

This trio of dumb asses are nothing more than individuals mixed up with El Coco. They had those frozen bodies for a long period of time on the orders of El Coco. 

For all the citizens who continue to support and work with these faggots. Don’t bother getting involved, being under fed, or believe all that hype that nothing’s going to happen to you guys. Because this city already belongs to us. With this in mind we’re operating armed 24/7 here. Because this is what we came here for. This is your last chance. After this there won’t be any more chances given. Pay close attention to this Ayala, Cuate, and Galleta. 

As for you Trampa, you barely saved yourself, you son of a bitch. All thanks to that reinforced door that you had in place. Nonetheless, we will eventually catch your fucking ass.

For the CFE and their shady counterparts. Along with PEMEX (Mexican state owned petroleum company) with its contracts and fuels. 

This is our last warning for everyone here. We’re going to tighten the noose a bit stronger in this city. 

Grupo Tercios Jefe 01 and Jefe L1

The August 18 Video

Then on August 18, as previously covered by Sol Prendido, los Tercios posted a narco video in which a group of their hitmen interrogated a captive. This captive was later dismembered. It appears that it was the captive’s remains which were scattered in front of the aforementioned August 17 narco message on the highway.

In the video, the captive says he works for the CFE (Federal Electricity Commission). He admits to embezzling some of the profits earned by the CFE and sending them to the local CJNG crime boss El Coco.

It's worth acknowledging that government workers and businesses are often intimidated, under threat of death to their families, into regularly paying local cartel groups so the CFE worker may be more of a victim than a willing participant. 

The captive says that the frozen bodies in the safe houses were victims of El Coco’s CJNG group. The captive also alleges that Coco’s subordinates include: 

Galleta

Los Cuates (The Twins)

Shrek

Cesar Enrique

The Ayalas

This video further confirms the ongoing war in Poza Rica between the CJNG and los Tercios, a coalition of gangs against the CJNG, some of which work under Gregorio Gómez Martínez, alias "El Goyo”.

El Universal’s Hector de Mauleon adds that the Gulf Cartel (CDG), Zetas Vieja Escuela (ZVE), and Grupo Sombra are known to operate in Poza Rica, writing that these groups are involved in “drug dealing, cargo theft, kidnapping, extortion, and fuel-pipeline siphoning.”

Based on other recent narco videos, CDG and CDS are still operating within Poza Rica.

 

Frozen Bodies Sources: Veracruz FGE Statement, La Opinion de Poza Rica, Border Report, The Yucatan Times, La Jornada, ABC News, Formato7, El Universal - Hector de Mauleon (non-paywall version)

Narco Messages Sources: 60 Minutos, Hassnake

Further Reading

Local Gangs Unite to Fight the CJNG for Control of Poza Rica, Veracruz

Veracruz: Brother of Cartel Boss Gunned Down with His Kids and Wife on Highway

Video: Los Tercios Interrogate CFE Worker