Tulum Crime Cell Busted in Major Police Operation

TULUM — Six alleged members of a criminal group responsible for generating violence in Tulum were detained in a joint operation, the state's attorney general, Raciel López Salazar, announced during his weekly security conference.

According to the State Attorney General's Office, the implicated individuals are believed to be connected to at least six recent homicides, including the murder of the former delegate of Akumal, Melchor Gamboa Gamboa, who was executed in late October.

The capture was carried out by elements of the Municipal Police, the State Attorney General's Office, and the National Guard, who intercepted the suspects as they were traveling in a Chevrolet Aveo in the La Veleta neighborhood.

The detainees were identified as Pedro Antonio "N", alias "El 38", identified as an extortion collector; Juan Carlos "N", of Colombian origin and an alleged hitman; Marco Alí "N" (20 years old); Kevin Miguel "N" (24); José Alejandro "N" (24); and Rosendo Julián "N" (20).

During the intervention, authorities seized two long .223 caliber weapons, exclusive to the Army, four short 9 mm caliber weapons, doses of crystal meth, marijuana, cocaine, psychotropic pills, and cell phones allegedly used to coordinate criminal activities.

Subsequently, the investigation led to actions in Nuevo Durango and Tres Reyes, in the municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas, where four vehicles—including a Volvo, a Mazda, and a Tahoe—were confiscated, in addition to more drugs linked to the same structure.

According to the investigations, the group is believed to be linked to executions registered in residential areas, federal highways, irregular settlements, and high-traffic tourist zones.

One of the most relevant cases is the murder of Melchor Gamboa, former delegate of Akumal, who was attacked at point-blank range in the Gonzalo Guerrero neighborhood. The Attorney General's Office states that Juan Carlos allegedly received 10,000 pesos for the crime, while Pedro Antonio allegedly acted as the driver of the unit used to escape. The line of investigation is directed towards alleged land disputes.

On November 9, violence reached the tourist zone again when a man was executed inside the Rosa Negra restaurant, one of the most popular establishments in the hotel corridor. Testimonies indicate that Juan Carlos allegedly received 5,000 pesos for this execution.

On November 12, in the 2 de Octubre neighborhood, the bodies of a Colombian man and a woman identified as Alejandra, 27 years old, were found. Tests from the IBIS system confirmed a ballistic match between shell casings found at the scene and a weapon seized from José Alejandro "N". A taxi from the Tiburones del Caribe union was also allegedly used in that attack.

The Attorney General's Office also links this cell to the murder of a man abandoned on November 1 on the Tulum–Boca Paila highway, a case not reported by local media, as well as the homicide of Dulce, a 20-year-old young woman found dead on October 6 on the Tulum–Felipe Carrillo Puerto highway. In both incidents, the shell casings match weapons seized from the group.

Authorities attribute activities of drug dealing, extortion, human trafficking, protection rackets, and selective executions to this group, which has contributed to the increase in violent incidents in the municipality.

The six detainees have already been formally charged by a judge, with the investigation ongoing to determine their precise participation in each of the homicides.

The Attorney General's Office emphasized that operations will continue in response to the presence of criminal cells with the capacity to act in both tourist zones and irregular settlements, reflecting the challenge Tulum faces with the growth of organized crime.