Nine Sentenced in El Rizos Weapons Case in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Federal prosecutors in Quintana Roo have secured prison sentences of up to 10 years against nine people convicted of violating the Federal Law on Firearms and Explosives, including a man authorities identified as the alleged leader of the criminal cell known as “El Rizos.”

The defendants were arrested in July 2022 in the Selvanova residential development in Playa del Carmen, where authorities also seized an arsenal.

The arrests came after the C5 surveillance system reported armed individuals inside a pickup truck, prompting municipal police to respond. Officers confiscated 18 firearms, 68 cartridges and 25 magazines.

At the sentencing hearing, the federal prosecutor’s office obtained a 10-year prison term and a fine of 300 UMA units against Pedro N., also known as “El Rizos,” as well as Cruz N., Jorge N., Carlos N., Domingo N. and Yesica N., for aggravated illegal weapons possession and possession of magazines reserved for the Armed Forces.

The judge also sentenced Jimi N. and Luis N. to three years and 10 months in prison, plus fines of 68 UMA, for carrying a weapon reserved for exclusive military use. Jesus N. received three years and seven months and a fine of 137 UMA on the same charge.

The seized evidence and defendants were formally turned over to the presiding judge, concluding the federal criminal case.