Drug Intelligence Bulletin

A video capturing a violent confrontation in the early hours on the Malecón Nuevo in Culiacán, which resulted in the death of a Guardia Nacional (GN) member and left another injured, has been released on social media. The security camera footage shows a blue and a black pickup truck at a gas station around 3:00 AM, abruptly disrupted as GN members approach and point their weapons at the vehicles. In a quick escalation, the trucks attempt to flee, tearing the fuel hoses, and in a retaliatory move, the black truck returns, opening fire on the GN members, causing two agents to fall to the ground, with one managing to stand up afterwards. The incident took place at the intersection of boulevard Diego Valadez (Malecón Nuevo) and Tauro alley in the La Lima neighborhood. Authorities confirmed that one GN member died at the scene and another was wounded, leading to the arrest of three assailants.

The conflict in Sonora has escalated into a brutal war among local powerful families, including Los Salazar, Los Paredes, and Los Cazadores, who have declared their independence from the Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. This declaration has ignited widespread violence across the state, with former allies turning on each other in a devastating display of brutality. A disturbing video posted on March 16, 2024, by LaMasakr3 on X, shows affiliates of Chapiza, or Los Chapitos, dragging a dead body tied to a pickup truck, underscoring the merciless nature of the conflict. This surge in violence has prompted calls for the Mexican federal government to intervene decisively to target and dismantle these criminal groups, aiming to restore order in the beleaguered state.

In a brazen daytime operation, a five-man team of armed enforcers, identified as members of the Fuerzas Especiales Grupo Sombra (FEGS), also known as Shadow Group Special Forces, executed a chilling display of violence in the central park of a town. Captured by an anonymous citizen's video, these assassins swiftly deposited the dismembered remains of two male rivals. The group, one of whom sported a distinctive white boonie hat, sparking speculations of the American guitarist Buckethead's involvement, completed their gruesome task in under a minute. Their actions included spreading dismembered body parts, scattering narco messages, and firing weapons into the air, instilling terror among the public. The narco message left behind declared a menacing warning from the Cartel Mafia Veracruzana, signaling their intent to eradicate their adversaries.