Personnel from the Secretariat of National Defense and the Sinaloa Secretariat of Public Security have arrested—in two separate operations—five individuals allegedly linked to various factions of “Los Chapitos.” They are suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of 10 workers from the Canadian mining company Vizsla Silver, as well as the abduction of tourists from the State of Mexico in Mazatlán.
In a statement released this Sunday, the Secretariat of National Defense reported that one of those arrested is Jesús Abraham “N,” alias “El Talibán.” He is identified as a trusted associate of Juan Benito “N,” alias “Beny 17”—a regional leader within “Los Chapitos,” a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
The first operation took place on October 16 in the municipality of El Rosario, where four individuals—including a Colombian national—were captured. They are allegedly part of the security detail for Óscar Luciano “N,” alias “Casco” or “El 81,” a regional leader of another “Los Chapitos” cell.
Following information gathered from those arrests, authorities apprehended “El Talibán” in Mazatlán on October 17; he was found in possession of weapons and a vehicle.
The agency, headed by General Ricardo Trevilla Trejo, stated that those arrested “are linked to the kidnapping and homicide of 10 workers from the mining company Canam/Vizsla Silver Corp., which occurred on January 23 of this year in La Concordia, Sinaloa. Furthermore, they are connected to the kidnapping of four tourists from the State of Mexico on February 3 in Mazatlán, Sinaloa.”
It should be noted that in February, nine of the 10 mining workers were found dead, while the tenth remains missing. The tourists kidnapped in Mazatlán have not been located either, despite the media attention surrounding the case and multiple search operations.
Personnel from the National Guard also took part in the operations that led to the five arrests, with support from three Mexican Air Force helicopters.
Those captured, along with the items seized, were turned over to the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) in Culiacán for further investigation and forensic analysis, as well as to determine their legal status.
