Two men identified as Josué Jafet “N” and Fabis “N”, alleged members of the criminal group Los Tlacos, were arrested in the municipality of Iguala de la Independencia, Guerrero, during an operation involving state and federal forces. The Guerrero State Attorney General's Office reported that the capture took place last Tuesday, when ministerial personnel, in coordination with the Secretariat of National Defense (Defense), the National Guard (GN), and the State Police, located them in flagrante delicto.
- Arrest in flagrante delicto: The two men were caught by security agents in Iguala and, upon attempting to flee, were pursued and apprehended.
- Drug seizure: Authorities found six plastic bags containing approximately 3 kilograms of green, dry herb with marijuana characteristics, plus 10 additional small bags of the same substance and a digital scale.
- Link to Los Tlacos: Investigations indicate that both individuals are suspected members of this organization and were involved in the sale and distribution of drugs through social media in Iguala.
The operation and the evidence
According to the state prosecutor's office, upon noticing the agents' presence, the two individuals attempted to flee but were intercepted a short distance away. During a search of their belongings, security personnel seized 6 plastic bags with approximately 3 kilograms of green, dry herb with marijuana characteristics, 10 additional small bags of the same substance, and a digital scale.
Authorities stated that preliminary inquiries suggest Josué Jafet “N” and Fabis “N” are presumed members of Los Tlacos, linked to the sale and distribution of drugs via social media in the municipality of Iguala. Both men and the seized items were placed at the disposal of the Public Prosecutor's Office to continue the corresponding investigations.
Other recent blows against the organization
The capture in Iguala adds to a series of recent operations against members of Los Tlacos, an organization also known as the Sierra Cartel. Days earlier, on October 23, federal and state forces arrested Samuel “N”, identified as the former chief administrative officer of the Copalillo municipal government, for alleged ties to the criminal group.
The former official was detained along with Pedro “N” and Heriberto “N”, in compliance with arrest warrants for the crime of aggravated extortion against merchants in Copalillo. The action was part of the National Strategy against Extortion and was led by the Secretariat of National Defense, the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), and the National Guard, in coordination with the Guerrero State Attorney General's Office and the state Public Security Secretariat.
During the operation, firearms, doses of drugs, and cash were seized, although authorities did not specify the quantities or characteristics of the confiscated items. The three detainees were placed at the disposal of the judicial authority that requested them in Guerrero, with the purpose of continuing investigations and expert examinations to determine their legal situation.
The Copalillo municipal government's disassociation
The Copalillo municipal government distanced itself from the former official after the arrest became known. In a statement, the municipal administration said: “the police arrest publicly known today has nothing to do with this municipal administration, as it corresponds to the personal and legal sphere of the former public servant.”
It also explained that since March he had ceased to hold the position assigned to him, so he no longer had any relationship with the municipal government. Samuel Benítez Cantorán served until last March as chief administrative officer of the Copalillo municipal government and was identified by authorities as a plaza chief and regional and financial operator of Los Tlacos in that municipality.
According to authorities, the three detainees forced local merchants to buy various products from the basic food basket, through threats and intimidation, as part of a scheme to control and hoard essential supplies in the region.
Context of the criminal organization
Los Tlacos began to consolidate in the mountainous region of the state after the fragmentation of drug trafficking structures that followed the death of Arturo Beltrán Leyva in December 2009, an event that triggered disputes among regional cells over strategic corridors and poppy production zones.
The arrest of Josué Jafet “N” and Fabis “N” represents a new blow to drug sales operations in the region, although authorities have not specified whether there are more arrest warrants against other members of the cell. Investigations continue to determine the distribution network that operated through digital platforms and the scope of its contacts in Iguala.