Forced recruitment: Two minors fighting for the CJNG found dead in Sinaloa

The discovery of the bodies of Paúl Alexander and Carlos Alejandro, two teenagers from Jalisco, after a confrontation between armed civilians in Sinaloa, highlighted the persistence of forced recruitment of minors by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

Despite recent investigations and sentences, the criminal structure that recruits and transports young people for illicit activities in different states across the country continues to operate, while the disappearances of minors increase and institutional responses remain insufficient.

Since the summer of 2024, Jalisco has recorded an increase in the disappearance of young people between the ages of 15 and 19, a phenomenon that specialists and authorities link to forced recruitment by organized crime.

The case of Paúl Alexander and Carlos Alejandro, both 16 years old, who disappeared in May and were found dead on July 14, 2025, in the community of El Pozo, Culiacán, illustrates this problem.

According to the Jalisco Prosecutor’s Office, the teenagers were contacted through social media, first taken to Zacatecas to receive weapons training, then taken to Nayarit, and finally sent to Sinaloa, where they participated in an armed confrontation.

Official figures reflect the magnitude of the problem. According to data from the state government, Jalisco has a total of 15,838 missing persons, of which 702 cases correspond to the year to date.