CJNG's Clandestine "Hospital" Discovered in Jalisco; Nine People Rescued

“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat 

The search for a young man missing from Tlaquepaque led authorities to a property in Tecalitlán that, according to the Jalisco Prosecutor's Office, was used by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel as an alleged clandestine hospital. The operation resulted in finding the 20-year-old man alive and rescuing eight other people who had allegedly been forcibly recruited to work for the criminal group. 

Six individuals accused of guarding and holding the captives were also arrested at the site. Jalisco Prosecutor Salvador González de los Santos explained that evidence found at the property indicated specialized medical treatment was being provided to members of the criminal group injured during clashes or other activities. 

Consequently, authorities announced they are investigating whether local medical personnel might have been involved in treating the individuals and operating the facility. The investigation began after the young man's family went to the prosecutor's office for missing persons to report that he had likely been a victim of forced recruitment. 

According to the family's account, the young man had said he was going to work at a ranch, but several people later arrived in a car, took him away, and the family had no further contact with him. Investigations led authorities to locate him in Tecalitlán, in the southern region of Jalisco. 

In coordination with the National Guard and the Secretariat of National Defense, investigative personnel entered the property. "The young man was indeed there, but he wasn’t alone; there were eight other people being held against their will," the prosecutor explained. 

The rescued individuals range in age from 16 to 43 and hail from Mexico City, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, and Jalisco. The six arrested individuals—five men and one woman—range in age from 21 to 48 and are from Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit, and Michoacán. 

González de los Santos indicated that the evidence and testimony gathered suggest the property was used to shelter individuals recruited for criminal activities who had sustained injuries and required recovery time. He noted that two of the rescued individuals were using crutches, while others had undergone surgeries involving the implantation of surgical hardware to treat their injuries. 

Although only the young man whose disappearance triggered the operation was the subject of an official missing person alert, all nine rescued individuals were transported to Guadalajara to begin the process of reuniting with their families. 

The six detained individuals have been placed at the disposal of judicial authorities, who intend to prosecute them for human trafficking and forced disappearance; meanwhile, investigations continue to identify others potentially involved in the alleged recruitment scheme and the operation of the property. 

Tecalitlán, Jalisco 

Source: El Universal