An investigation into a suspected cartel training ground and execution site in western Mexico has unveiled the disturbing methods employed by one of the globe's most notorious criminal organizations to recruit its operatives through social media.
The Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG), known for its violent operations, has been exploiting TikTok as a recruitment tool for its gunmen.
This week, Omar Garcia Harfuch, Mexicos Public Security Secretary, disclosed details regarding the arrest of Jose Gregorio Comandante Lastra Lastra Hermida on March 20. Lastra is identified as a key recruiter for the CJNG, operating under Gonzalo El 90 or El Sapo Mendoza Gaytan, who oversees the cartel's activities in the regions of Jalisco, Nayarit, and Zacatecas.
According to Breitbart, Lastra and his network utilized over 39 TikTok accounts to engage with numerous individuals, enticing them with deceptive job offers. The cartel promised potential recruits a weekly salary ranging from 4,000 to 12,000 pesos.
Those who fell for the ruse were instructed to gather at bus stations, where CJNG operatives would transport them to Rancho Izaguirre. Upon arrival, recruits were stripped of their phones and outfitted with tactical gear for a month-long training regimen to become CJNG gunmen. Post-training, these individuals were dispatched across Mexico to reinforce the cartel's operations.
Rancho Izaguirre has become a focal point of international concern following reports from activists who uncovered hundreds of shoes and personal belongings at the site. The property is believed to have served as a killing field, incineration site, and mass grave for the cartel's victims. As part of the ongoing probe into Rancho Izaguirre, authorities have apprehended Comandante Lastra along with 48 others linked to the CJNG's recruitment and training activities. Harfuch noted that Lastra had been leading these efforts since May 2024 until his recent arrest.
The Breitbart News Foundation has taken significant steps to shed light on the cartel's influence, sending its team to Mexico City and the states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Nuevo Len. There, they recruited citizen journalists willing to risk their lives to expose the cartels that terrorize their communities.
These journalists, operating under pseudonyms to protect their identities, face grave dangers from cartels such as the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas. The foundation's Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and Spanish, providing a crucial platform for these courageous voices.
The Breitbart News Foundation operates as an independent non-profit organization, offering its content for licensing at no cost to reputable publishers with a substantial audience, provided they adhere to the licensing terms. For further information on licensing, interested parties are encouraged to contact the foundation directly.
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