Federal and State Forces Arrest ‘El Pecas,’ Alleged Cartel de Caborca Member, in Merida

Merida, Yucatan — A joint federal and state operation early Friday morning in the Paseos de Caucel neighborhood led to the arrest of Víctor Alfonso R. F., alias “El Pecas,” an alleged member of a criminal group operating in Quintana Roo and suspected of drug trafficking.

The raid caused alarm among residents of Ciudad Caucel, who woke to a heavy deployment of armed personnel in the western part of Merida, an area that has seen increasing incidents linked to organized crime and drug dealing in recent years.

The search warrant was executed at a property on Calle 43 by 116 by agents of the Federal Ministerial Police assigned to the Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC) of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office (FGR), in coordination with the Mexican Army, Navy, National Guard, and the Yucatan Public Security Department (SSP).

Authorities, supported by K-9 units, seized various doses of synthetic drugs known as crystal or methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, gram scales, documents, and other items allegedly used for drug distribution.

Sources indicate that “El Pecas” fled to Yucatan from Chetumal, Quintana Roo, after internal conflicts with members of criminal groups operating there. Unofficial reports suggest he was being pursued by former criminal allies after allegedly appropriating drug shipments belonging to a criminal organization, which led to direct threats and a previous armed attack in Quintana Roo.

Notably, the suspect had been arrested before in Yucatan. According to police reports from 2025, Víctor Alfonso R. F. was detained last year in Caucel along with others, when there were already indications of his possible links to criminal activities in Quintana Roo. However, he was released days later and was never handed over to Quintana Roo authorities, raising questions about the handling of the case and the legal reasons that allowed him to continue operating in Yucatan.

The arrest comes at a sensitive time for Yucatan, a state historically known for its security, but where drug seizures, federal raids, and detentions of individuals linked to criminal cells from Quintana Roo and other southeastern states have multiplied in recent years.

Friday’s operation highlighted how Merida, particularly expanding urban areas like Ciudad Caucel, have increasingly appeared in investigations related to suspected drug warehouses, hideouts for criminal operators, and strategic points used by criminal groups seeking to evade violence in other regions.

Following the operation, “El Pecas” was handed over to the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office, which will continue the investigation to determine his legal status and possible links to criminal structures operating between Quintana Roo and Yucatan.