**CDS Hitmen Seek Control of Drug Sales in Tijuana Bars**
The Sinaloa Cartel (CDS) is aggressively seeking to dominate the narcotics trade within various nightlife venues in Tijuana, including nightclubs, bars, strip clubs, and other nighttime attractions. The cartel has been dispatching drug dealers and hitmen from Tijuana’s peripheral neighborhoods into key nightlife districts such as Zona Centro, particularly in establishments on Sexta Street, and La Mesa, especially near the Dimenstein neighborhood.
In the past three months alone, seven shootings with fatalities or injuries have occurred on Sexta Street, with an additional ten incidents in the tourist areas of Zona Centro. Multiple homicides have included collateral damage, claiming even the lives of minors.
On the early morning of September 16, a man was shot in front of numerous witnesses near La FerreterÃa bar on Sexta Street. The following day, another young man carrying eight packs of crystal meth and a bag of marijuana was gunned down in front of Fracaso bar in the Zona Norte by assailants in a red Lexus sedan. A total of six more armed assaults occurred during the same period at La Cueva del Peludo in La Mesa, contributing to the eight murders so far this year at that location.
Most recently, violence escalated along Bulevar DÃaz Ordaz in Los Pinos, impacting the SIE7E de Copas bar, a site of multiple homicides between 2019 and 2021. On September 17, another man in his mid-20s was shot six times in the head and stomach outside the bar by a motorcyclist who remains at large.
The Sinaloa Cartel is reportedly enlisting criminals through factions led by Edwin Rubio alias “El Max,” Rafael Yocupicio alias “El Cabezón,” and Franklin Huezo alias “El Ranchero.” These recruits are in direct conflict with those aligned with the half-brothers Javier Adrián Beltrán Cabrera alias “El Pedrito” and Isaac Alhiu Chávez Cabrera alias “El Puma,” associated with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Jalisco’s local drug peddlers, primarily operating around the nightlife districts, have noted the presence of new faces—young men and women posing as clients, tourists, or ordinary consumers. These newcomers have avoided detection by authorities, who were able to only temporarily curb violence through coordinated raids and arrests by the Tijuana Municipal Public Security Secretariat and the Narcomenudeo Prosecutor’s Office.
Statements from recently apprehended criminals have shed light on ongoing violence, although officials have struggled to pinpoint the new street operators perpetuating the unrest. Among the few identified aliases is “El Moreno,” said to be a key hitman under Rubio López of the Sinaloa Cartel.
The conflict between the cartels has resulted in casualties on both sides: Sinaloa operatives target Jalisco affiliates they recognize as rivals, while CJNG members retaliate against Sinaloa affiliates they suspect of betrayal or perceived switch in allegiance.
Drug sales persist primarily outside the clubs, facilitated by complicit waitstaff or security guards. Security camera footage reveals these peddlers re-entering clubs multiple times during the night. Despite club owners denying involvement in the drug trade, investigators suspect internal collaboration in allowing drug dealers access to premises.
Authorities, including the municipal police and National Guard, have implemented additional surveillance and security measures. Nevertheless, the violence and drug trade persist, with investigations stymied by non-cooperation from bar management in providing surveillance footage.
**Additional Insights on Recent Drug-Related Violence in Tijuana**
Further searches reveal that Tijuana has been a hotspot for cartel-related violence, with several alarming incidents escalating tensions in the region:
1. **Bloody Clashes on Avenida Revolución:** The iconic street has seen a surge in violent encounters tied to cartel activities. Each month brings reports of shootings and drug-related crimes, drawing significant attention from law enforcement agencies striving to mitigate the crisis.
2. **Cross-Border Crime Impact:** The violence in Tijuana is not localized, raising concerns about its ripple effect on neighboring U.S. cities, prompting joint operations between Mexican and U.S. agencies to curb drug trafficking and associated violence.
3. **Community Impact:** The residents of Tijuana live in a state of heightened alert, anxiously navigating daily life amidst this ongoing cartel war. Many have expressed fears for public safety and called for more robust government intervention.
4. **Economic Repercussions:** Local businesses, especially those in the tourism sector, are feeling the pressure as the frequent violent outbreaks deter visitors, affecting revenue and employment rates in the city.
The ongoing cartel battles underscore the deep-rooted challenges facing Tijuana, with authorities yet to find a sustainable solution to curb the cycle of violence and restore safety to the city’s nightlife and residential areas alike.
For more detailed updates and real-time news, visit TJGringo.com.
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