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Since 2015, a kidnapper group that local authorities were able to identify as “Las Pelonas” has been operating in Mexico City’s southern boroughs , according to local prosecutors.
Their victims are high school and college students from private schools in the Tlalpan, Coyoacán, and Xochimilco boroughs. In exchange for their safe return, they request sums of between MXN$4 and 5 million . But either way, they usually murder their victims within the first 48 hours after their kidnapping.
Their MO is very similar to that of the criminal group behind the murder of Norberto Ronquillo, a 22-year-old college student from the Pedregal University who died right after he was kidnapped on June 4.
The young student was kidnapped at around 21:30 hours outside the university. At around 22:00 hours, the victim’s family got a phone call from the kidnappers, who asked for ransom. His family immediately filed a complaint, though a few hours later, they asked the investigative police not to intervene.
The family had agreed to meet the kidnappers to hand in a large sum of money in exchange for Norberto’s life. One of the family members went to the rendez-vous point near a car wash on Acoxpa road, south of Mexico City, but returned empty handed.
On the night of June 9, an anonymous tip revealed that a body had been found in a wooded area in the Xochimilco borough, where two policemen found Norberto’s body wrapped in blankets and black plastic bags. The kidnappers had tied his hands behind his back. His body was in a state of decomposition and local authorities were able to determine that he had been murdered right away.
Local police have not been able to find clues on the case.
The case sparked outrage in Mexico, a country that has seen a surge in violence in recent years.
According to Mexico City authorities, the “Las Pelonas” criminal group usually kills their victims within 48 hours of capture and leave their bodies in wooded areas of Xochimilco, Tlalpan, and Milpa Alta . The leader of the criminal group is known as “El Barbas.”
EL UNIVERSAL
was able to obtain a recording of a conversation between the kidnapper and the father of a young college student who was kidnapped in 2017.
“Don’t tell me sh*t, you will get me those four million, You hear me? Don’t f*cking think about screwing me over because your situation can change in a heartbeat, motherf*cker. Don’t try to f*cking haggle because I won’t settle for 100 or 400 thousand. I won’t even take a million for your f*cking daughter’s life,” the kidnapper said in the recording while the girl’s father asked him for more time to raise the money and begged him not to hurt his daughter.
The record showed that the victim’s family had paid MXN$500 thousand, but days later, the victim’s body was found near the Topilejo village, in Tlalpan.
The criminal group was allegedly responsible for five kidnappings from 2015 to 2018. Three of the victims were killed while the other two were returned alive after their families paid the million-dollar amount they asked for as ransom.
“Las Pelonas” have been operating in the southern part of the city since 2015, and statistics show that they conduct at least one abduction per year. However, local authorities have not been able to identify any of the kidnappers. However, police forces have been able to identify the group leader’s voice in each of the phone calls.
They were able to determine that the criminal group is currently established in the Milpa Alta borough , where “El Barbas’” family members pose as businessmen and restaurant owners. The criminals recruit young people who later help them choose their victims.
Police authorities now suspect that the case of Norberto Ronquillo could be related to the “Las Pelonas” criminal group.
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