Top “Los Pelones” Leader Captured in Mérida

Mérida, Yucatán — Francisco Javier Pool de la Cruz, alias “Fefe,” a high-ranking leader of the notorious criminal organization “Los Pelones,” was apprehended in Mérida by authorities. The arrest marks a significant development in efforts to curb violence linked to the group in Quintana Roo, including Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Juárez, and Cancún.

Key Details of the Arrest

Pool de la Cruz, 36, originally from Tabasco, was detained at a security checkpoint on the Mérida-Cancún toll highway by officers from the Secretary of Public Security (SSP) in coordination with the Attorney General’s Office (FGR). He faces multiple charges, including illegal possession of firearms and explosives, extortion, racketeering (“derecho de piso”), and homicide.

Following his arrest, he was transferred to federal authorities and presented before a federal judge in Cancún, where an outstanding warrant for his re-arrest had been issued.

Criminal Background and Prior Escape

The suspect had been a fugitive since 2018, when he was initially arrested in Quintana Roo alongside another member of Los Pelones. At the time, authorities seized over 100 doses of cocaine and two firearms from him. Despite facing charges related to a homicide in Puerto Juárez, he managed to evade prosecution until his capture in Mérida.

Significance of the Operation

Authorities consider Pool de la Cruz a major contributor to violence in Quintana Roo’s tourist zones. His arrest follows heightened scrutiny of Los Pelones, a group implicated in drug trafficking, extortion, and armed violence across the region.

The case has been handed over to the Federal Criminal Investigation Agency for further legal proceedings.