Federal forces arrested Carlos César Cruz Muñoz, known as "El Semáforo" or "El Señor de las Luces," in Tuxtepec, Oaxaca, early Wednesday, October 28. Authorities identify him as the alleged plaza chief of the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG) in the Veracruz-Boca del Río metropolitan area and as the successor to Iván Cazarín Molina, "El Tanque," captured days earlier in Jalisco. The 42-year-old suspect, a native of that Oaxacan municipality, was detained along with Ana Gabriela "N," described as the organization's suspected logistics operator.
- Key Point: The operation began before dawn in the Loma Alta neighborhood of Tuxtepec, with helicopter overflights and armed personnel deployed across the city for several hours.
- Key Point: The Federal Attorney General's Office (FGR), in coordination with the Navy Secretariat, carried out two simultaneous raids in the Oaxacan municipality.
- Key Point: The National Registry of Detentions of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) records the arrest at 06:00 hours Wednesday.
- Key Point: Authorities seized firearms, some for exclusive use by the Armed Forces, grenades, tactical gear, and two high-end vehicles.
The Tuxtepec Deployment
The operation unfolded in the Loma Alta neighborhood, with helicopters circling overhead and armed agents visible in various parts of the city for hours. According to the SSPC's National Registry of Detentions, the capture was logged at 6:00 a.m. Wednesday. During the raids, security forces confiscated weapons—including some restricted to military use—grenades, tactical equipment, and two luxury vehicles.
Carlos César allegedly rose within the CJNG's regional structure after Cazarín's arrest in Zapopan, Jalisco. "El Semáforo" reportedly took on leadership duties following that capture, occupying the second tier of the organization as "El Tanque's" direct successor. He is also accused of a possible link to the killing of two agents of the Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC) in May 2025 in the Vía Muerta area of Boca del Río, during an anti-kidnapping operation.
Ministerial sources say Carlos César allegedly headed the structure in Veracruz-Boca del Río and coordinated various operational commanders tied to kidnapping activities in the region. These allegations must be substantiated before the corresponding judicial authorities.
A Chain of Arrests
The capture of Carlos César adds to that of 16 other suspected members of this criminal group in Veracruz and Oaxaca, part of coordinated efforts to weaken the criminal structure in the region. Among those already detained within this alleged organization are Omar Alfonso, known as "Comandante Toga," and Cristian Aldair, identified as "Comandante Güero." Both are accused of being operational commanders subordinate to the cell successively led by "El Tanque" and later "El Semáforo." The operational structure to which both detainees belonged reportedly answered to Cazarín Molina before his capture in Jalisco. Authorities have not specified whether other individuals in this chain of command remain at large.
The Case of "El Tanque"
Iván Cazarín Molina, alias "El Tanque," was arrested on October 5 in Zapopan, Jalisco. The operation involved the National Defense Secretariat, the SSPC, and the National Guard, with support from FGR agents. Omar García Harfuch, head of the SSPC, said the detention was in flagrante delicto and that authorities seized a vehicle, a firearm, and various doses of drugs. He noted the action resulted from intelligence, investigation, and interagency coordination.
The Mexican government identifies Cazarín Molina as a regional leader of a CJNG cell with presence in Veracruz, Oaxaca, Tabasco, and Puebla, and places him in the inner circle of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, "El Mencho." Investigations link him to homicides, extortion, illegal deprivation of liberty, fuel theft, money laundering, and drug trafficking. Authorities also accuse him of involvement in an armed attack on a helicopter in Jalisco in 2015, during an operation against "El Mencho."
García Harfuch indicated that in September 2024 the U.S. Treasury Department had sanctioned Cazarín for his ties to the CJNG, which enabled an information exchange with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that led to his location. After his arrest, "El Tanque" was formally charged on October 22 by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia for conspiracy to traffic cocaine and methamphetamine, plus possession of a firearm linked to drug trafficking. If convicted, he could face a minimum of 40 years in prison and up to two consecutive life sentences.
A Mexican federal judge, Azucena Lazalde Iñiguez, head of the Second District Court for Criminal Matters in the State of Mexico, denied an injunction sought by Cazarín's defense to block a possible provisional arrest warrant for extradition to the United States.
With "El Semáforo's" capture, authorities aim to dismantle the command chain the CJNG maintained in the Veracruz-Oaxaca corridor. The case will go to the federal Public Ministry, which must present evidence before a judge to determine the legal status of the detainee and the alleged logistics operator arrested with him.