**Unpunished Crimes by the National Guard in Baja California**
On November 28, 2022, National Guard officers in vehicle GN 337328 and two white pickups were recorded seizing a haul of drugs from a recycling facility at Kilometer 23.5 on the Tijuana-Tecate Freeway. This event adds another notch to a growing list of documented crimes involving National Guard agents in Baja California, indicating an alarming trend of impunity.
Ulises Rayas Pérez, alias “El Bóxer,” known since 2023 as a criminal operative for James Brayan Corona, leader of the Arellano Felix Cartel (CAF), was apprehended on August 30, 2024, in Tijuana’s Rio Zone. During his arrest, Pérez claimed he was delivering money to a National Guard member, an assertion that was not pursued further by investigators.
In the span of 29 months, at least 77 National Guard agents have been tied to 13 documented criminal activities. Only one guard has been arrested and faced trial, citing false promises from the Federal Prosecutor’s Office (FGR) that he would be treated as a witness. Due to this leniency, nearly 98.70 percent of delinquent National Guard officers remain unpunished in Baja California.
**National Guard Crimes in San Quintín Go Unchecked**
Victims report that National Guard agents involved in crimes between 2021 and 2023 benefited from the protection provided by their superiors, who relocated them to obstruct investigations. Such was the case with agents involved in two extortion operations made public in the first half of 2023.
On April 3, 2023, an internet video captured National Guard agents in patrol GN 321334 entering Hotel Río V in Tijuana’s central area and demanding a “protection fee” of 20,000 pesos. The FGR stated that due to the explicit refusal of the business owners and workers to file a complaint, the investigation could not proceed.
Similarly, on June 29, 2023, masked and heavily armed agents raided the home of a bar administrator, stealing between $7,000 to $10,000 from a safe. Though video evidence existed, the victim decided not to file a complaint after his wife was physically threatened, leading the FGR to close the investigation.
**Continued Allegations and Lack of Justice**
Reports indicate that affected individuals and families often face further intimidation from the National Guard. Victims describe visits from high-ranking officials offering compensation or bribes to avoid legal repercussions. Despite this, numerous crimes involving National Guard agents remain unresolved or uninvestigated.
**Drug Theft and Legal Proceedings**
On June 19, 2024, Miguel Ángel Vázquez Valle, an agent filmed participating in a drug theft on November 17, 2023, was the only National Guard member to be linked to legal proceedings. He faces charges for obstructing justice and possession of illegal substances in a high-profile case involving multiple law enforcement agencies.
**Unsolved Incidents of Assault and Misconduct**
In another unresolved case, a couple in Playas de Rosarito reported being assaulted by National Guard agents on June 23, 2023. The woman was sexually assaulted while the agents searched their home without a warrant. Over a year later, the FGR still has not made any progress in identifying the culprits.
**Involvement with Organized Crime and Human Trafficking**
Elements of the National Guard have also been implicated in protecting notorious criminals, such as Aldo Coria Pérez, and in facilitating human trafficking activities. Despite overwhelming evidence, these crimes often go unpunished, further eroding public trust in the institution.
**Secondary Article: New Reports and Developments**
Recent investigations have uncovered additional layers of criminality involving National Guard agents in Baja California. As of September 2024, the death toll from the violent turf war between the Sinaloa Cartel and CAF has reached 2,944, fueled in part by drug thefts and corrupt practices within the National Guard.
In August 2023, agents reportedly shielded traffickers during a botched sting operation aimed at José Torres Ramírez and Aldo Pérez Coria. In another incident, a viral video from April 2023 showed National Guard officers escorting human traffickers in Tijuana, highlighting the ongoing complicity between law enforcement and criminal networks.
Despite these damning revelations, the pattern of unaccountability persists. Corruption and illegal activities among National Guard ranks continue unchecked, underscoring the pressing need for systemic reforms and transparent investigations to restore integrity and public confidence in law enforcement agencies in Baja California.