Mexico: Suspected CJNG leader operating in the states of Nayarit and Tlaxcala arrested

Mexican authorities arrested ten people linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), including an alleged leader who coordinated criminal operations in Nayarit and Tlaxcala.

Security sources reported on Sunday that the main suspect was identified as José Guadalupe Ahumada Villegas, alias "M4," identified by authorities as one of the cartel's regional coordinators. The arrest took place during an operation in the state of Nayarit.

How the CJNG cell was taken down

According to the Federal Security Cabinet, the ten detainees are linked to a wide variety of crimes, including homicide, kidnapping, extortion, drug distribution, cargo theft, arms trafficking, and illegal oil extraction. All are part of the CJNG's structure in the region.

Authorities confirmed that these actions were the result of intelligence work carried out by the Secretariat of the Navy, in close coordination with the Attorney General's Office (FGR) and the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC).

The operation consisted of seven simultaneous raids on properties located in the municipalities of Tepic and Xalisco, Nayarit. At these sites, authorities seized three long guns, three vehicles, and several cell phones.

A financial and operational blow

According to reported the newspaper La Jornada, the seized evidence and the detained individuals were turned over to the Public Prosecutor's Office, which will be responsible for continuing the investigations and determining their legal status.

"These actions undermine the operational, logistical, and coordination capabilities of this criminal organization; the seized assets represent an economic loss valued at more than 4 million pesos, thereby weakening the financial structure of criminal groups," stated the Federal Security Cabinet