Culiacan Public Security Director Sergio Leyva-Lopez Resigns After 7 Municipal Police Officers Arrested for Protecting Los Chapitos Linked Agent

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Following the resignation of Sergio Antonio Leyva López as Secretary of Public Security and Municipal Transit of Culiacán, local authorities are seeking a new director, one with a military background.

His resignation came after seven Culiacan Municipal Police Officers were arrested after an altercation they had outside of a medical clinic with state agents investigating two men who were admitted to the clinic with gunshot wounds. 

However, Mayor of Culiacán Juan de Dios Gámez Mendívil asserted that his resignation was for "personal reasons" unrelated to these events.

"Yesterday, during the course of the day, the Municipal Public Security Secretary, Sergio Leyva, submitted his resignation as secretary. He is an active state police officer and is once again at the disposal of the state police," Gámez Mendívil told the media.

Given this situation, the mayor indicated that he sent a request to the Ministry of National Defense to present a proposal for the new secretary, seeking one with a military background.

"We are requesting a written proposal from the military region to fill this vacancy (...) We are doing so with the goal of strengthening our collaborative work with federal corporations," he added.

Municipal & State Police Battle

The conflict between municipal and state police in Culiacán, Sinaloa, occurred because the city police were guarding an active agent of the local prosecutor's office who operates in favor of the Los Chapitos faction, said journalist Luis Chaparro.

The municipal police officers were arrested on the night of June 2, due to their "aggressive behavior" toward members of the State Preventive Police (PEP) who had gone to a private clinic located in the Gabriel Leyva neighborhood.

State agents were at the clinic following an anonymous report of two men admitted with gunshot wounds. Upon arriving, they were allegedly assaulted by municipal officers who prevented PEP officers from accessing the clinic, which led to the conflict.

During the arrest, two patrol cars and firearms allegedly used in the attack were seized. These weapons were not listed in the official registry or under the control of the police department. According to Los Noticieristas, a cloned police car was also at the scene.

Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya reported that they are investigating the reason the municipal police officers went to the clinic to determine whether it was a "confusion or deliberate."

"An administrative investigation needs to be conducted into the reason for his stay there and in what capacity. I don't know if they were mistaken or were there on purpose ; that's another issue the authorities need to clarify," he commented.

7 Arrested Officers

The seven detained municipal agents, identified as Luciano “N”, Pedro Luis “N”, Saúl “N”, Luis Alberto “N”, Jasiel Humberto “N”, Jesús Manuel “N” and Reyna Gloria “N”, were placed at the disposal of the Public Ministry.

Among the detained officers, according to Chaparro, was Abel Hermida Cruz, a former personal bodyguard of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. However, an Abel is not listed of those arrested. Hermida Cruz had previously been arrested in 2010 and 2015 during a failed Mexican Navy attempt to capture "El Chapo."

Alleged Los Chapitos Links

"According to our source, this man is known as "Gumaro," whose real name is Gustavo Ernesto "N." He is believed to be a key player in the Los Chapitos organization and is serving as an active prosecutor. An active state prosecutor, a key member and leader of Los Chapitos, is being guarded by a group of municipal police officers," the journalist said. He added that Gumaro arrived at a clinic with another person with a gunshot wound to the arm.

Sergio Leyva-Lopez became the Secretary of Security of Culiacan in December of 2022, and later was reconfirmed in November, 2024. Prior to this posting, he held the similar position for nearby Elota, Sinaloa. While in that municipality, he often authorized his police officers to attend Sinaloa state police training.

Ana Karen Val Medina, Mayor of Elota, Sinaloa is shown providing then Commander Sergio Leyva and the Elota police with numerous ballistic helmets, vests and other gear as a gesture of their cooperation earlier in 2022. 

Mayor Val Medina's 2021 election win ended a 90-year PRI hold on the position and is her first political position. Since then, accusations have emerged linking her directly to figures from the Sinaloa Cartel and Rubén Rocha Moya, the current governor of Sinaloa.

According to journalist Anabel Hernández, Rocha Moya's 2021 Sinaloa gubernatorial campaign received significant financial support from the Sinaloa Cartel, with René Bastidas Mercado, "El 00," allegedly contributing at least $10 million, essentially securing the Elota mayoral victory for his wife.

"El 00" has long been linked to the Los Chapitos faction since he began working with the Sinaloa Cartel under Damaso Lopez' faction before flipping to support the sons of "El Chapo."

The city of Elota and its political figures have come under fire since the internal war broke out between Sinaloa Cartel factions. Two brothers of recently captured "Leo" Leobardo Corrales-Garcia, who was wanted in the US with a $5 million reward, were executed and dumped on the outskirts of Elota at the beginning of the battles. The Corrales family has strong political ties in the region, including political party leaders. 

Sources Los Noticieristas, Infobae, Pie de Nota, Entre Veredas, Infobae, Crux1469

Categories: culiacan, police, sinaloa cartel