Blog dedicated to reporting on Mexican drug cartels
on the border line between the US and Mexico
.

Friday, July 11, 2025

Ovidio Guzmán López Pleads Guilty in US

 "Socalj" for Borderland Beat


“Do you admit to your participation in kidnapping and murder plans?” the judge asked. “Yes,” said Ovidio Guzmán López.

With those words, heard in a Chicago federal courtroom, one of the sons of imprisoned Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman pleaded guilty on Friday, July 11 to 4 criminal counts in two related drug trafficking cases targeting the notorious Sinaloa Cartel.

Ovidio Guzman Lopez, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of Drug Trafficking and two counts of participation in a Continuing Criminal Enterprise before U.S. District Judge Sharon Coleman in Chicago.

He faces a possible life sentence, however, according to the plea agreement filed on June 11, Ovidio is fully cooperating with prosecutors.

Thursday, July 10, 2025

Harfuch responds to Bukele's accusations about the cocaine plane: "We reiterate our respect for El Salvador." Harfuch and Bukele Spar Over Cocaine Seizure In Tecoman, Coliman.

 CHAR 

JULY 10, 2025 

THIS INFORMATION WAS POSTED BY INFOBAE 

The Central American president requested that the Secretary of Security correct the information regarding a small plane seized in Colima.

By: Andrés Martínez


Photo: SSPC

The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), Omar García Harfuch, corrected the information that the seized aircraft carrying nearly half a ton of cocaine was located off El Salvador heading toward Mexico and not originating from the Central American country, as he stated on July 8 from the National Palace.

On Wednesday afternoon, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele asked Secretary Harfuch to rectify his July 8 report, stating that an aircraft from the Central American country was seized in Tecomán, Colima.


"In Tecomán, Colima, as a result of surveillance and protection of Mexican airspace, personnel from the National Center for Surveillance and Airspace Protection detected an aircraft from El Salvador carrying 428 kilos of cocaine, and three people were arrested. The value of the drugs is 96 million pesos," Harfuch explained during the "People's Morning Press Conference" conference.


The aircraft landed on a clandestine airstrip in the state of Colima. Photo: Special


However, the Salvadoran president clarified that the aircraft never flew through his airspace.

“On July 3, at 1:00 p.m., Costa Rica reported a suspicious aircraft track northwest of its territory. They activated the regional alert through APAN, a Central American air safety network. According to their own report, the aircraft track entered Costa Rica, briefly disappeared from radar, and then reappeared, heading out into the Pacific,” Bukele wrote on his X account.


Photo: @nayibbukele

He added that his "radars did not record any aerial contact within our airspace."

In his post, the Salvadoran president attached an image showing the plane's route: "very south of El Salvador and Nicaragua, with no proximity to national airspace. The route was also confirmed by JIATFS Key West (USA), which monitors illicit air traffic in the region."

"Their report is clear: the aircraft flew over the Pacific Ocean and never touched Salvadoran territory."

He stated that "El Salvador does not hide criminals or tolerate drug trafficking; we didn't do that before, and we won't do that now. Nor will we allow them to try to involve us in operations that are not our responsibility or ours."


Federal authorities reported that three people were arrested during the operation. Photo: Special
Therefore, he demanded that the "Government of Mexico immediately clarify and correct the statements made by its Secretary, Omar García Harfuch."

Later, the secretary responded to the Central American president and changed the word "originating," mentioned at the July 8 conference, to "altitude" above El Salvador.

"At 1:00 p.m. on July 3, 2025, CENAVi personnel detected a trace of interest 200 km south of San Salvador, El Salvador, as can be seen in the aircraft tracking graph."


Photo: @OHarfuch

He stated that in response to this information, CENAVI ordered aircraft to take off from various Military Air Bases to intercept the clandestine route toward the probable landing sites (Tecomán, Colima).
"Three people were arrested, and 427.65 kilograms of cocaine and the aircraft were seized. Indeed, the detainees are Mexican nationals and are being prosecuted for various crimes."

"We reiterate our respect and appreciation for the people of El Salvador," the Mexican secretary concluded his message.



SOURCE: INFOBAE 

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

223 bags containing human remains have been found in Las Agujas In Zapopan, Jalisco. UPDATE

 CHAR 

JULY 9, 2025 

THIS INFORMATION WAS POSTED BY EL OCCIDENTAL 

So far, 38 victims have been classified, of which 18 have already been pre-identified. They continue working with heavy machinery.

Trabajan con máquina en fosa Las Agujas


Román Ortega


This Wednesday, eight more bags containing human remains were found in the grave in the Las Agujas neighborhood, in the municipality of Zapopan. This brings the total to 54 since work began on the second site last Sunday, June 29, and 223 bags, including the 169 bags found on adjacent land since last February.


Maribel, a member of the Guerreros Buscadores collective of Jalisco, indicated that so far, less than a quarter of the land has been worked on, despite the work being carried out with heavy machinery.


"There hasn't been much progress. In other words, we were talking about not even a quarter of the land being worked on. Today, eight bags were found."


I think progress has been made. Well, the truth is, we only made a few meters to where we had left off yesterday, to the limit of where work was done yesterday, and I think this will take a long time, for several months, because it does indicate and hint at more pockets.”


He added that one reason why little progress was made today is because one of the two excavation machines broke down, so he hopes it will be working again by tomorrow, Thursday.


Sources close to the investigation indicate that 38 victims have been classified so far, 18 of whom have already been pre-identified through tattoos; none have been released to their families.


On Tuesday, personnel from the National Search Commission joined the search due to a lack of personnel from the State Search Commission and the high demand for work.


Members of the Luz de Esperanza collective and Lupita Aguilar, founder of the Familias Unidas por Nuestros Desaparecidos collective, also joined the search.


SOURCE: EL OCCIDENTAL 


Hundreds of Navy Personnel are strengthening security in Navolato and Elota on land and air. Helicopters Of the Navy Fly over Navolato, Culiacan, And Elota.

 CHAR 

JULY 9, 2025 

WRITTEN BY: ERNESTO MARTINEZ

Por tierra y aire refuerzan la seguridad con cientos de marinos en Navolato y Elota


Culiacán, Sinaloa.- Members of the Mexican Navy deployed a strong mobilization by land and air on the morning of Wednesday, July 9, in the municipalities of Culiacán, Navolato, and Elota as part of the security reinforcement in the central region of the state and in anticipation of the arrival of the 400 SEMAR members who were deployed since Monday in these last two municipalities.

Por tierra y aire refuerzan la seguridad con cientos de marinos en Navolato y Elota

Por tierra y aire refuerzan la seguridad con cientos de marinos en Navolato y Elota


Although some of the aircraft flew at very low altitudes over Navolato during the overflights, it was confirmed that no arrests have been made so far by this agency, while dozens of units known as "rapid" patrolled the city of the sugarcane municipality this morning.

Por tierra y aire refuerzan la seguridad con cientos de marinos en Navolato y Elota


Authorities hope that with the presence of federal forces, crime rates will decrease in the coming days, but so far, there is no information on how long the marines will be in the state carrying out these tasks.


Por tierra y aire refuerzan la seguridad con cientos de marinos en Navolato y Elota


NAVY HELICOPTERS FLY OVER NAVOLATO, CULIACAN, ELOTA


BY: CHAR 




The following three videos are of Navy helicopters that flew over the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. Please follow my Telegram channel, "Ivan's Daily News," where I have uploaded the three videos mentioned. 


ELOTA, SINALOA 


La Cruz, Elota, and Potrerillo Del Norote have seen heavy armed clashes between Los Mayos / MF vs Los Chapitos, so Navy special forces were sent to keep peace in those areas. 





Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Those detained at the Izaguirre ranch will spend 141 years in prison: Jalisco

 CHAR 

JULY 8, 2025 

THIS INFORMATION WAS POSTED BY EL OCCIDENTAL 

They will also have to pay 1.3 million pesos to repair the damage.



Román Ortega

The 10 people arrested on September 18, 2024, at the Izaguirre ranch in Teuchitlán were each sentenced to 141 years and three months in prison after being found criminally responsible for the crimes of disappearance committed by private individuals, aggravated disappearance committed by private individuals, and aggravated homicide, against three victims.

The State Attorney General's Office reported that they are Lennin "N"—or Kevin "N"—David "N", Gustavo "N", Christopher "N", Juan "N", Óscar "N", Erick "N", Luis "N", Ricardo "N", and Armando "N", who, in addition to their prison sentences, must pay almost 1.3 million pesos in reparation for damages.

On September 18 of last year, National Guard officers responded to the Izaguirre ranch to respond to several reports of gunshots. Upon arrival, they were greeted with gunfire, so they repelled the attack.

After several minutes of gunfire, federal agents brought the situation under control and arrested 10 individuals at the scene. They also rescued two people alive and found a body wrapped in plastic bags.

The 10 individuals face at least six other criminal charges for the crime of disappearance committed by private individuals against different victims.

In March of this year, members of the Jalisco Searchers Warriors collective found thousands of items of clothing at the Izaguirre ranch, which, according to investigations by the Attorney General's Office, was used as a training camp for the Jalisco New Generation cartel.


Sinaloa, with more murders than Guanajuato

 CHAR 

JULY 8, 2025 

THIS INFORMATION WAS POSTED BY RIODOCE 

Author | Roxana Vivanco




June records the highest monthly homicide rate nationwide and the highest in the state since April 2011, when 227 homicides were recorded.

On the morning of Monday, June 30, four decapitated bodies were hung from the access bridge to the Seminary, on the Culiacán-Los Mochis highway, north of Culiacán. A few meters away, 16 more bodies were piled inside a white panel-type truck with messages written on the sides. One of them was also mutilated. The murder rate that day reached 30. Culiacán travel guide

In total, in the sixth month of the year and the tenth since the beginning of the fight between the Mayos and Chapos, 207 people were murdered in Sinaloa, according to the State Attorney General's Office, and 210, according to the National Security Cabinet. Both figures are the highest since April 2011, when 227 crimes were recorded amid the war between the Beltrán Leyva brothers and the Sinaloa Cartel, and when the highest monthly homicide figure was 228 in August 2010.

On the same day the 20 bodies were found, Governor Rubén Rocha Moya stated at the weekly press conference that with the help of the Federation they would solve the problem of the increase in intentional homicides.

"We haven't actually improved; the president herself has said so. May-June represents more (murders) for us. We are also working on that, we also have sufficient personnel, we have extraordinary assistance from the Federation, and we will surely resolve it," he stated.

The governor affirmed that, just as a cabinet study was conducted on vehicle theft to implement strategies and reduce the incidence, the same is being done on intentional homicides.

The following day, Tuesday, July 1, three people were murdered, and on Wednesday, July 2, four more.

On the morning of Thursday, July 3, President Claudia Sheinbaum admitted that homicides have decreased in virtually every state in the country, except for Sinaloa, where "the highest levels" are recorded, and promised that next Tuesday she will present a reinforced security strategy. That day, there were 13 intentional homicides in the state.

In April, 119 murders were reported in the state, 165 in May, and 207 in June, according to statistics from the FGE. This means that, when compared to the previous two months, the increase was 25.45 percent.

Last month, Sinaloa also had the highest number of homicides nationwide, surpassing even Guanajuato, which recorded 171; the State of Mexico, which totaled 132; Chihuahua, with 128; and Baja California, which had 123 murders. In total, there were 1,818 murders nationwide, of which 11.55 percent occurred in the state.

The President's U-turns

On October 2, 2024, during the first "Mañanera del Pueblo" (People's Morning Conference), Sheinbaum was questioned about the wave of violence in Sinaloa, which had already lasted nearly two months, and responded that there were more homicides in Guanajuato.

“…Sinaloa doesn't appear among the five states with the highest number of homicides. Guanajuato remains the first. Chihuahua and the State of Mexico were also the first, but Guanajuato is the highest, again,” he said.

Since the start of the war between the Los Chapitos faction and El Mayito Flaco, murders have been on the rise. Until then, the highest number had been 52 intentional homicides recorded in January 2024, but 142 were committed in September.

October saw the second highest number, with 182. Since then, the trend had been downward, with 175 in November, 156 in December, 138 last January, 119 in February, and then again in March with 135 intentional homicides, before dropping again in April with 119.

The downward trend halted in May and rebounded in June, which became the month with the most murders since the start of the war between factions of the Sinaloa Cartel on September 9.

From January to December 2024, the state Attorney General's Office recorded 993 intentional homicides, of which 655 occurred in the last four months of that year.

Between January and June 2025, the statistic is 883 murders, meaning that by mid-year, 89 percent of all homicides in 2024 had occurred.

During the conflict between Chapos and Mayos, murders, clashes, blockades, kidnappings, and car thefts intensified in the state, centered in Culiacán and spreading to Navolato, Eldorado, Mazatlán, Rosario, Concordia, Escuinapa, and Elota, primarily. Culiacán travel guide

During May, blockades and clashes also occurred in Guasave, Guamúchil, and Los Mochis, but they later subsided.

To date, it is estimated that during the 10 months of the conflict, more than 1,600 people have been deprived of their liberty and more than 5,700 vehicles have been stolen in the state, while murders are on the rise, despite the operations and visits implemented by Omar García Harfuch, Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, to reinforce the strategy.

Article published on July 6, 2025, in issue 1171 of the weekly Ríodoce.


Cártel del Golfo Escorpiones Leader Arrested in Queretaro

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

Mexican authorities have apprehended Felipe Jesús Ceballos Tovar alias "El Franco 6," identified as the presumed successor to José Francisco "N," known as "Alfa 1," a key figure in the Escorpiones faction of the Gulf Cartel in the states of Queretaro and Guanajuato.

Felipe Jesús Ceballos Tovar alias "El Franco 6"

Monday, July 7, 2025

33 tons of Gold and Silver stolen in the municipality of Acatlán de Juárez, Jalisco.

 CHAR 

JULY 7, 2025 

THIS INFORMATION WAS POSTED BY EL OCCIDENTAL

The robbery occurred on July 4th, on a highway near Guadalajara.


Román Ortega

An organized crime group stole a shipment of 33 tons of gold and silver in the municipality of Acatlán de Juárez.

In a statement, the mining company Grupo Bacis reported that the robbery occurred on July 4th, on a highway near Guadalajara, as the trailer was heading to the Port of Manzanillo.

According to the company, the tractor-trailer with registration number 104 was intercepted by two white vehicles with tinted windows. Their occupants neutralized the security guards and subdued the driver, who was detained for at least an hour and a half.

"A group of organized criminals aboard two vehicles robbed a truck belonging to Fletes Durango S.A. de C.V., which was loaded with at least 33 tons of gold and silver concentrate belonging to Grupo Minero Bacis, bound for the port of Manzanillo."

After being released, the victims notified the National Guard. The workers were unharmed, and the empty trailer was located shortly afterward. To date, there are no leads on the whereabouts of the merchandise. The State Attorney General's Office reported that it has not received any complaints regarding the theft.


SOURCE: EL OCCIDENTAL 

206 bags containing human remains have been found in the graves of Las Agujas, Zapopan, Jalisco. UPDATE

 CHAR 

JULY 7, 2025 

INFORMATION POSTED BY EL OCCIDENTAL 

They will continue working in the coming days


Román Ortega

The Guerreros Buscadores collective of Jalisco reported that this Monday they found four bags containing human remains in the second grave in the Las Agujas neighborhood of Zapopan, where they began work last Sunday, June 29.

Thus, 37 bags containing human remains have been located at this second clandestine burial site, located next to the fenced property where the State Attorney General's Office and forensic experts found 169 bags containing human remains.

Indira Navarro, founder of the collective, noted that this brings the total to 206 bags on the same property, which is only divided by the wall, but which are part of the same investigation folder.

"Look, today's work continues with the prospecting process at the Las Agujas pit. Four more bags were extracted today, bringing the total to 37 on the property, which is the same folder as the 169 bags, which unfortunately now totals 206."

She added that due to the large area, personnel from the National Search Commission will integrate the search for human remains on the property, which is located near the University Center for Biological and Agricultural Sciences.

She also indicated that advanced technology is needed to conduct more precise searches.

"The National Bureau of Investigation (CNB) will also be coming tomorrow to provide support, given the circumstances and the magnitude of the grave. The work being done recently has been done with heavy machinery and excavation work using rods, but we do need slightly more advanced technology to make this more accurate."

Finally, he indicated that the land measures 220 hectares, so the search efforts will last several days.


There were three armored vehicles! Secretariat Of Navy seized vehicles, long-range weapons, explosives, and tactical equipment in Cosalá. The Following Seizures Is A Result Of A Raid Against Efrain Trejo Retamoza In Cosala, Sinaloa.

 CHAR

JULY 7, 2025 

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS POSTED BY LOS NOTICIERISTAS 

WRITTEN BY: ERICK VALENZUELA 


Cosalá, Sinaloa.- A significant seizure of vehicles, some with armored vehicles, long weapons, explosives, ammunition, and tactical equipment was the result of a ground and air operation carried out by federal authorities in the municipality of Cosalá.

As part of efforts to reduce criminal activity in the state, federal security personnel carried out ground and air operations, resulting in the seizure of vehicles, weapons, ammunition, improvised explosive devices, tactical equipment, tire-puncture devices, among other items.

This occurred during prevention and surveillance patrols in the towns of Ipucha and Cosalá, in the municipality of the same name, located in the south of the state.

The result was the discovery of 14 long-range weapons, a grenade launcher, 6,527 cartridges of various calibers, 31 magazines for different calibers, 35 improvised explosive devices, which were disabled on-site, nine vehicles, three of which were armored, 89 tire-punctured ammunition, and various tactical equipment.




It should be noted that everything seized was made available to the corresponding Public Prosecutor's Office agent for inclusion in the case's investigation file.





200 Navy Soldiers take action in Navolato operations. Amid rising violence, 200 Navy personnel deployed in Navolato, Sinaloa.

 CHAR 

JULY 7, 2025 

THIS INFORMATION WAS POSTED BY RIODOCE 

Author | Alejandro Monjardin

Date | July 7, 2025

Time | 10:39 am


Starting today, a group of 200 members of the Navy will join the operation in Navolato, Governor Rubén Rocha Moya announced.

The president mentioned that the members will only be on patrol in that municipality, but will be based in Culiacán.

"Today, the Navy Commander just informed me that members of the Navy assigned exclusively to Navolato are arriving," he stated.

Rocha Moya stated that another group of members arrived in Elota two or three days ago.

We have 200 Marines assigned to this patrol, particularly in Navolato. 200 are already deployed in Elota, which has also seen an increase in numbers, he stated.

He assured that the Marines are not acting alone but are working with agents from other agencies in the inter-institutional operation.



SOURCE: RIODOCE 

Business Partner of Boxer Canelo Alvarez Suspected of Money Laundering for CJNG Fuel Thieves

 "Socalj" for Borderland Beat

Following last week's ICE arrest and accusations of Sinaloa Cartel ties of boxer Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., Mexican news outlet Reforma also cited numerous sources regarding the ties of a Mexican businessman who is a partner in a gas station convenience store company with famed Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez. 

Sunday, July 6, 2025

Colombia Seizes First Narco Drone Sub on Test Run in South America

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat


The Colombian navy on Wednesday announced its first seizure of an unmanned narco sub equipped with a Starlink antenna off its Caribbean coast.

The semi submersible vessel was not carrying drugs, but the Colombian navy and Western security sources based in the region believed it was a trial run by a cocaine trafficking cartel.

"It was being tested and was empty," a naval spokeswoman confirmed.

Manned semisubmersibles built in clandestine jungle shipyards have been used for decades to ferry cocaine north from Colombia, the world's biggest cocaine producer, to Central America or Mexico.

But in recent years, they have been sailing much farther, crossing the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Efrain Trejo Retamoza "R1" Former Los Chapos Member And Now Los Mayos/ MF Member Escapes From Military Special Forces Raid In Cosala, Sinaloa.

 BY: CHAR 

JULY 6, 2025 

EFRAIN TREJO RETAMOZA
R1

The afternoon of this Sunday, July 6, 2025, reports started to swirl about a raid by Mexican military special forces that included a helicopter with a minigun machine gun and an aircraft TEXAN flying around in Cosala. There was also reported movement of Secretariat Navy personnel to capture a criminal figure on the ground.

EFRAIN TREJO RETAMOZA 

Hours later, after the raid was concluded, it was confirmed that a powerful criminal figure named Efrain Trejo Retamoza "R1" had evaded capture. R1 and his family have long-controlled drug laboratories in the Cosala mountain areas, which have the presence of both Los Chapos and Los Mayos criminal groups. The sister of Mr. Efrain had a child with the famous drug lord Joaquin Guzmán Loera, and many times, JGL used Cosala as a hideout before his final capture in Los Mochis in 2016. Last year, with the start of the conflict between Los Chapos vs Los Mayos, Mr. Efrain R1 decided to join the Los Mayos/ MF criminal group. 


COSALA RAID 









The following videos were uploaded to my Telegram channel of the raid that took place this afternoon in Cosala, Sinaloa, against Efrain Trejo Retamoza, lieutenant of the Los Mayos/ MF criminal group. Please follow my news channel is called "Ivan's Daily News", where I cover drug cartel topics. 


Saturday, July 5, 2025

FGR Alleges Boxer Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. Punished Cartel Members for "El Nini"

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat


According to Mexico's Attorney General's Office (FGR), recently arrested boxing figure Julio Cesar Chávez Jr. allegedly served as a "henchman" for Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, known as "El Nini," who once was the head of security for Los Chapitos.

Through information allegedly obtained through legal wiretaps between 2021 and 2022; Chavez would beat cartel members who had made mistakes that put the organization at risk. Wiretaps of alleged drug traffickers and immigration records shared by US agencies were presented as evidence as well.