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### CDS Hitmen Seek Control of Drug Sales in Tijuana Bars
Criminal factions affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel (CDS) are targeting drug sales control in various nightlife venues, including nightclubs, bars, strip clubs, and entertainment centers in Tijuana. They’re deploying drug dealers and hitmen from Tijuana’s outskirts to primary bar zones like Zona Centro, particularly on Calle Sexta, and La Mesa, focusing on clubs near the Dimenstein neighborhood.
Within the last three months, seven shootouts resulted in casualties or injuries on Calle Sexta, with an additional ten shootings occurring in tourist areas of Zona Centro, including multiple homicides with minor colateral victims.
On September 16, a man was shot in front of numerous witnesses outside “La Ferretería” bar on Calle Sexta. The following day, another young individual, found with packets of crystal meth and marijuana, was gunned down outside “Fracaso” bar in Zona Norte by assailants in a red Lexus who escaped the scene.
The wave of violence escalated with six more attacks at “La Cueva del Peludo” in La Mesa, amassing eight violent incidents throughout the year. Most recently, a woman’s severed head was discovered in a car with a narco-message, alongside the death of a security guard.
CDS employs delinquents recruited by Edwin Rubio aka “El Max”, Rafael Yocupicio aka “El Cabezón”, and Franklin Huezo aka “El Ranchero.” They face opposition from criminals aligned with Javier Adrián Beltrán Cabrera aka “El Pedrito” and Isaac Alhiu Chávez Cabrera aka “El Puma” from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Undercover dealers from Jalisco blend in as customers in these nightlife areas, going unnoticed by authorities who haven’t mapped these new faces in the local criminal landscape. Despite operations by Tijuana’s Municipal Secretary of Public Security and the Narco Squad, violence resumed promptly after two weeks of relative calm.
Authorities have struggled to identify the new operatives behind the escalating violence, although captured hitmen’s statements suggest that only the alias “El Moreno” recurs, serving Edwin Rubio.
Both cartels have suffered casualties: CDS members assassinate CJNG operatives upon recognition, while CJNG kills CDS operatives preventatively or in cases perceived as betrayals.
### Drug Sales Tied to Bartenders, Security Guards
Intelligence coordination reveals that drug peddlers operate outside bars, entering occasionally to fulfill orders, often assisted through collaboration with bartenders or security guards. Additional surveillance and military support by the National Guard and Army were deployed following business owners’ requests, though drug dealings and killings persist.
Public prosecutors frequently need court orders to retrieve surveillance footage from bars where investigations indicate drug activities. For instance, Luis Francisco García Michel, deported at 40, was found dead inside “Porky’s” on June 29, with multiple drug packets and paraphernalia. Despite several seizures and bar closures over the years, establishments like “La Cueva del Peludo” continue operating after reopening.
### Recent and Related News
#### Ongoing Gang Conflict in Border Cities
With gang conflicts raging broadly across border cities including Tijuana, daily violence impacts local communities severely. Notable recent activities have included seizures of substantial drug shipments, a heightening sense of lawlessness, and frequent violent flare-ups.
In addition to Tijuana, prevalent criminal activities are reported in neighboring Baja California towns as cartels vie for control over lucrative trafficking routes.
#### Increased Surveillance and Community Vigilance
Authorities and community representatives emphasize the necessity for elevated vigilance and community involvement to mitigate violence. Law enforcement continues grappling with corruption and infrastructural challenges that complicate maintaining public safety.
For full coverage and updates on this story and related news, visit TJGringo.com.
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**Sources:**
– *Multiple news sources, September 2024.*
– *Local authorities reports and public safety data.*