The building in Condesa neighborhood that was raided yesterday by elements of Mexico City's Attorney General's Office (PGJDF) was invaded by an organization known as Asamblea de Barrios in 2013, year in which crime rate increased in the area. The owner of the building, whose identity was not revealed, filed a complaint ever since.
The initial investigation of Mexico City authorities revealed that the ground floor of the building, on 12 Benjamin Hill street, was occupied by members of the criminal cell La Unión de Tepito supported by members of Asamblea de Barrios, who exerted political pressure to avoid being evicted. In 2014 the neighbors reported that the building was used to sell drugs.
The first police reports indicate that the occupants probably hid stolen goods and drugs in the vaults that were found inside the apartment on the ground floor. They also found 313 firecrackers, documents of a maritime company that will be investigated and a tunnel, that they presumably used to escape when police was coming.
No one was arrested in the operation and no drugs were found inside the building. Authorities think its occupants were tipped off.
Raúl Peralta, head of the investigative police unit, said that the property will be closed for the time being and asked the other inhabitants to leave the building, as it represents a risk for them.
El Universal columnist Héctor de Mauleón, who recently wrote about the presumed criminal activities conducted from the building, has received death threats via Twitter from the Asamblea de Barrios.
“Watch out because we you know we are all over Mexico City and we are thousands," a tweet posted by @BarriosAsamblea read. In another tweet they wrote: "Be careful when you leave home."
So far neither the Attorney General's Office nor the Ministry of Public Security of Mexico City government have offered protection to de Mauleón, though some time ago he did receive a couple of phone calls from the Interior Ministry offering him to benefit from the journalist protection law. He rejected the offer because it was in connection with previous death threats.
"I will continue with my work for as long as I can, that is what one has to do," de Mauleón said.