Unión Tepito cartel recruits local policemen for protection in Mexico City

The wave of violence that struck the neighborhoods of Tepito, Morelos, Doctores, and Buenos Aires in Mexico City earlier this month, as well as parts of the Cuauhtémoc and Venustiano Carranza boroughs, led police forces to enforce preventive and intelligence measures to avoid a bloody settling of scores.

With the first baseline results thrown by intelligence efforts, it was revealed that the remainders of the Tepito Union Cartel had begun recruiting former policemen and even active law enforcement agents following the capture of ‘El Betito’ and ‘El Pistache’ last December. The policemen are being hired to defend drug sales points and conduct extortion operations in the area.

The Tepito Union cartel used to have full control of the Zona Rosa , the bohemian corridor of Roma and Condesa, Polanco, the Insurgentes strategic corridor, the Eje Central corridor, Reforma avenue, and parts of downtown Mexico City, including Madero street and the Garibaldi plaza. Now, their territory is being taken away by Sergio Flores Concha , also known as ‘El Tortas,’ and gunmen from the Anti-Unión Tepito cartel.

According to survivors of attacks by the Anti-Unión Tepito cartel, as well as retail sellers of drugs, some new members have joined the ranks of the criminal group established in Mexico City’s tough neighborhoods.

There are at least 10 active policemen working for the Union in municipalities near the State of Mexico.

Other members working full-time are former policemen from the Gustavo A. Madero and Cuauhtémoc boroughs, as well as members of the Ministry of Citizen Safety (SSCCDMX) who were recently discharged. An investigation revealed that the Tepito Union is offering between MXN$18,000 and $20,000 a month to policemen of former policemen willing to work for them, whereas an average policeman makes barely MXN$15,000 a month .

The former policemen and active government agents are in charge of protecting the Union’s criminal cells engaging in extortion. They also safeguard some of the most profitable drug sales points, as well as warehouses in the Guerrero, Doctores, and Buenos Aires neighborhoods.

The investigation began after a triple homicide took place in a market within the Tepito neighborhood last Monday. One of the victims of the attack was an active policeman from the State of Mexico .

The 24-year-old victim used to work in the Nezahualcóyotl municipality during the day. At night, he was at the service of the Tepito Union.

Two more policemen were recently executed in the Guerrero and Santa María la Ribera neighborhoods .

In order to counteract the problem, local prosecutors are preparing a plan to undermine the financial structure of the cartel.

Mexico City: Police officers work for the cartels

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