The Quintana Roo State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) reported the arrest of Ernesto Guadalupe “N,” known as “El Rayo,” identified as the alleged operational leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in Playa del Carmen.
The arrest resulted from an interagency operation carried out on November 25, 2025, at the intersection of Tulum Avenue and Agua Street, in Superblock 4 of the municipality of Benito Juárez.
“El Rayo” is accused of extortion, drug trafficking, homicide, and disappearances, making him one of the main instigators of violence in the region. According to the Quintana Roo State Attorney General’s Office, the operation was carried out by Investigative Police officers assigned to the institution, in coordination with members of the Army, Navy, National Guard, Secretariat of Citizen Security, and Municipal Police.
The arrest resulted from intelligence work and joint actions by the Interinstitutional Group, which identified Ernesto Guadalupe “N” as a priority target in the State’s Crime Atlas.
