El Orejas, alleged operator of the “Unión Tepito,” arrested in Chimalhuacán

Federal authorities arrested Brayan Andrés López Sánchez, 30, alias “El Orejas,” in Chimalhuacán, State of Mexico. He is a member of the Nueva Era criminal cell, the armed wing of the Unión Tepito, dedicated to extortion and using violent methods to intimidate local merchants.

López Sánchez is identified as a generator of violence in the municipality and allegedly responsible for crimes against public health, extortion, and homicide.

Among the crimes attributed to him is the mastermind of the Molotov cocktail attack on a tortilla factory on July 2, 2024, as well as the murder of a woman on January 14 of the same year.

At the time of his arrest, carried out on the corner of Lázaro Cárdenas Avenue and Francisco I. Madero, officers seized various doses of crystal meth and cocaine, a cell phone, and cash.

Members of the SSPC (Spanish Police Force), Sedena (Sedena), Navy, FGR (Argentine Attorney General), and National Guard participated in the operation, in coordination with the FGJEM (Federal Justice and Justice of the State of Mexico), the State Security Secretariat, and the Municipal Police. López Sánchez was handed over to the corresponding Public Prosecutor’s Office, which will determine his legal status.