### Five Individuals Linked to Crime in Mexicali; One Allegedly Responsible for Police Subcommander’s Murder
On October 19, five individuals were apprehended in Mexicali, among them Arturo Medina Arellano, believed to be connected to the murder of Tecate’s Municipal Police Subcommander, Humberto Cota Contreras. The arrest was made following a shootout in the vicinity of La Rumorosa, Tecate. Authorities found the suspects in possession of a cache of weapons, leading to their court processing on October 29.
According to a statement by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, the group was captured by the National Guard officers after discharging firearms. The items confiscated included five long guns, five handguns, seven ballistic vests, a vehicle, and ammunition.
The four adults, Daniel Ernesto Valenzuela Flores, Arturo Rogelio Allende de la Cruz, and Juan Manuel Alarcón Pelgo, along with the minor, Jesús Izack, are now facing charges under the Federal Firearms and Explosives Act and for criminal association. A preventive detention has been ordered for the adults, with a three-month investigation period, while the minor received a different custodial arrangement with a two-month investigation length.
### Subcommander’s Murder Background
Humberto Cota Contreras was killed on September 4 while seated in his pickup truck in Hacienda San Pablo, potentially under orders from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The slain officer, alongside other officials, had been reportedly threatened by the CJNG for allegedly supporting the rival Sinaloa Cartel (CDS). The fatal attack saw assailants pursue the officer and shoot him after forcing his vehicle to stop.
The primary suspect, Medina Arellano, nicknamed “El Venado,” and associated with Cota’s assassination, was detained on October 19. The incident occurred during a skirmish at the La Rumorosa Wind Farms, resulting in one fatality. Following the altercation, the National Guard seized control over the situation, turning the detainees over to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office the next day.
### Additional Updates
– **Violent Month in Mexicali:** October has been marked as particularly violent with 32 documented homicides, making it the most deadly month in 2024, per the local police.
– **Ongoing Legal Actions:** In related legal news, several individuals face charges for drug possession, and a possible motive of crime passion was suggested in a recent femicide case by state authorities.
– **Political Developments:** Political figure Marko Cortés recently vacated his congressional seat to embark on a political tour in Spain. In other military news, defense officials have denied any human rights abuses following alleged extrajudicial activities in Culiacán.
Stay updated with these events as the situation continues to develop in Mexicali and the Baja California region.