Playa del Carmen Gang Dismantled in Police Raid

Playa del Carmen, Mexico — A joint operation between the State Attorney General's Office, the Mexican Army, the Navy, the National Guard, the Secretary of Citizen Security, and the Municipal Police has led to the dismantling of a dangerous criminal gang that was attempting to take control of Playa del Carmen, State Attorney General Raciel López Salazar announced in a press conference this Monday.

With the recent capture of five individuals, a total of 13 suspects linked to the group have now been detained. The gang was characterized by its high degree of violence and extreme training, which allegedly included practices of cannibalism.

The attorney general explained that three of the most recent detainees are Francisco Javier, María Esther, and Brandon, who were arrested in the Cataluña neighborhood. All are originally from Michoacán and were part of an organization dedicated to the distribution of drugs, extortion, and human trafficking in the form of procuring prostitution.

During the operation, authorities seized marijuana, methamphetamine, a 5.56-millimeter caliber long weapon, seven magazines with 25 useful cartridges each, and a green tactical vest.

The detainees had arrived in Playa del Carmen after being invited by a couple from Michoacán. They traveled from Guadalajara to the Tulum airport and were transported to a safe house, where they began their illicit activities. Brandon's mission was to infiltrate a bar as a drug distributor and lookout, posing as an entertainer; meanwhile, Francisco was to operate as a distributor in Riviera Maya hotels and act as a protector of the territory against rival groups.

In another action carried out on October 5, two other members identified as Uriel, alias "Masaka," and Kevin, alias "El 5," were detained. They allegedly stole vehicles to use in criminal activities.

Captures Since August

Attorney General Raciel López Salazar recalled that this organization had already been struck on August 12 with the capture of eight of its members, led by a woman identified as Sara, alias "La Miche." On that occasion, security forces secured 17 firearms, of which 13 were M4 rifles caliber 5.56 and four were 9-millimeter caliber pistols, all for the exclusive use of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

The attorney general confirmed that the weapon seized in the recent operation belongs to the same batch as those confiscated in August, thereby strengthening the connection between both blows against the gang.

According to the investigations, members of this criminal cell were sent to Playa del Carmen with the mission to "clean" the area of rival groups and assume control of retail drug distribution.

"The mission of this detained criminal group was to clean the region of rival criminals; they were trained in survival to fulfill their objective. Even as part of their training, they had been forced to eat human flesh," said the attorney general.

The detainees face charges for crimes against public health, carrying weapons for the exclusive use of the Army, and organized crime. A control judge imposed justified preventive prison on them and granted one month for complementary investigation.