Stewart Reeves
Why should U.S. gringos even be concerned?\
Answer: Most probably, Mexican criminal cartel competition over their getting Chinese manufactured " FENTYNOL ", into the American markets $$$$ !!!
Five Chapitos Hitmen Arrested After Killing Cop in Tecate, Baja California
"HEARST" for Borderland Beat
Five Sinaloa Cartel hitmen, who self-identified as members of Los Chapitos, were arrested after they ambushed two police officers in Tecate, leaving one officer dead.
The Ambush on Police
On the evening of Thursday, July 28, 2022, two municipal police officers were on a routine patrol, driving down Defensores Boulevard in the La Viñita neighborhood of the city of Tecate. just across the border from Tecate, CALIFORNIA USA
At approximately 10:40 pm, when the officers had just reached the intersection of Defensores and Arturo Guerra Street, a group of cartel hitmen opened fire on them, ambushing the officers. The gunfire came from five hitmen who were sitting inside a red pickup truck that was parked nearby, lying in wait for the arrival of the two officers.
The hitmen unloaded at least 30 shots into the officer’s patrol car. The Mayor of Tecate, Edgar Darío Benítez Ruíz, later stated that the shots were fired at the officers from a distance of 70 meters (or 76 yards). The officers immediately reported the shooting on radio and requested backup.
At least one of the officers attempted to return fire, but ultimately both officers crumpled into their seats, having each received multiple gunshot injuries. Seemingly satisfied, the red pickup truck of the hitmen sped off from the site of the shooting, driving in the direction of Tijuana.
Officers and EMTs were sent to the scene of the shooting and the two officers were rushed to the nearest hospital. Officer Arnoldo Díaz Ortega passed away from his gunshot injuries just minutes after being admitted to the hospital. He was officially declared deceased at approximately 11:00pm. The other officer, Roberto Moreno, remained in critical condition, with hospital staff working to stabilize him.
The Car Chase
Meanwhile, all law enforcement personnel in the regions surrounding Tecate were alerted to the attack. Unbeknownst to the hitmen, their route out of Tecate passed right under a government security camera, which captured the vehicle’s make and model. The law enforcement alert detailed that the attackers were driving a red-colored Nissan Frontier pickup truck that was seen driving west, not taking Highway #2D, but instead taking the Tecate - Tijuana Freeway #2.
About halfway in between Tecate and Tijuana, near the town of El Refugio, Tijuana municipal police officers spotted the red Frontier pickup. The officers drove up behind the hitmen’s vehicle and flashed their lights, indicating they were being pulled over. The driver of the pickup refused to comply and sped up instead, leading to a high speed car chase.
The hitmen’s vehicle turned and drove north, moving onto Highway 201, trying to lose the officers but the chase continued. At one point, the red pickup was forced to a halt by another vehicle and one of the hitmen jumped out of the vehicle and tried to make a break for it on foot. One of the officers also jumped out and gave chase, while the other remained in the car and continued the vehicle pursuit.
The Arrests
The officer managed to catch up with the fleeing hitmen in the La Morita neighborhood and he was arrested without incident. The red pickup however, managed to lose the pursuing officer in the vehicle.
The detainee caught in La Morita is:
Gerardo Enrique Cerecer Soto, alias “El Guapo”.
The hitmen in the pickup weren’t free for long. Just the next morning, on Friday, July 29, 2022, in the El Laurel neighborhood of Tijuana, the red vehicle was spotted and the four alleged hitmen inside were arrested. By that time, the hitmen appear to have tossed or stashed the guns used in the attack because no firearms were found in their possession or inside their vehicle.
The hitmen inside are being treated as suspects in the shooting of the two officers, in part, because the red pickup had visible bullet damage from when the officers attempted to return fire the night before.
The detainees caught in El Laurel are:
Erick, alias "El Bello".
36 years old. Originally from Guerrero.
Salvador, alias "El Papi".
25 years old. Originally from Rosarito, Baja California.
Claudia Jazmín, alias "La Shakira".
26 years old. Originally from Nayarit.
Arenagua Marisol, alias "La Venus".
20 years old. Originally from San José, California, US.
Tijuana’s Secretary of Security stated that although the weapons that were used to attack Tecate officers were not found, the vehicle is the same one that appears in a surveillance video and that in regards to El Guapo, the man caught on foot, "the Tecate police confirmed that he was one of the aggressors.”
Diario de Tijuana reports that El Guapo referred to himself and his fellow detainees as Sinaloa Cartel - Los Chapitos members. Meanwhile, Jornada refers to El Guapo as the leader of the group that was caught, with the other 4 detainees as direct reports under El Guapo.
Road Blockades
In a possibly related event, at approximately 9:14 am on Saturday, July 30, 2022, a motorist on Highway 3, called in to report that traffic was blocked due to a burning white Ford Explorer vehicle.
The burning SUV was located near the exit to the town of Ignacio Zaragoza, which is about halfway in between Tecate and Ensenada.
Firefighters and police were sent to the scene and after some time, the firefighters were able to put out the flames and free up one lane traffic. The other lanes remained blocked as they waited for the remains of the vehicle to become safe to remove.
At approximately 10:15 am, firefighters from Ensenada confirmed to reporters that the fire was being classified as arson, because there were a number of tires placed around the vehicle in a way that was characteristic of narco road blockades.
The Secretary of the state Citizen Security Forces (FESC), Gilberto Landeros Briseño, said “It could be seen just with the naked eye that [additional] tires were burned. It was not an accident.”
At around 10:27 am, state investigators announced that several bullet casings were found at the location of the burning vehicle.
The director of the state Citizen Security Forces (FESC), David Amauri Salas told reporters, "We are combating these types of incidents. We have been sending FESC personnel, in collaboration with the National Guard, Army and Ensenada Municipal Police, to do security patrols in the area - starting about last week. That is probably why they want to send us a message, but we are not going to withdraw from the area. We will continue working.”
Attack and Arrest Sources: Milenio, Jornada, Cadena Noticias Article 1, Article 2, Esquina 32 Article 1, Article 2, Zeta Tijuana Article 1, Article 2, El Sol de Tijuana
Road Blockades Sources: Zeta Tijuana Article 1, Article 2, Punto Norte
No comments:
Post a Comment