‘Unión Tepito’ cartel nearly dismantled, authorities say

With the arrest of Brayan Mauticio ‘El Pozoles,’ third in commaind of the Unión Tepito cartel in Mexico City , the attorney’s office claimed that the criminal group has now been almost fully dismantled. However, city authorities are still looking for 24-year-old Victor Hugo Ávila , also known as ‘El huguito’ (Little Hugo) , the alleged leader of the cartel.

According to recent reports filed by shopkeepers in the central area of Mexico City, Ávila is in charge of collecting a “use rights” quota (“derecho de piso”) . He has also been accused of extortion and kidnapping, while intelligence reports indicated that he has continued to expand the organization’s retail sale of drugs between Cuajimalpa and the State of Mexico .

The criminals from the Tepito neighborhood have increased their presence in the Miguel Hidalgo and Benito Juárez delegations. Even after leaders ‘El Betito,’ and ‘El Pistache’ were captured, the group continued to spread and even scale up their criminal activity. It transpired that ‘El Huguito’ declared war on Sergio Flores Conchas, also known as ‘El Tortas,’ who was the head of the Anti-Unión Tepito group.

Further intelligence reports have shown that ‘El Huguito’ was responsible for the attack perpetrated on September 14 at the Garibaldi plaza downtown, when a group of gunmen dressed as ‘mariachi’ musicians attacked 12 people , leaving six dead and two severely injured.

‘El Huguito’ has since kept hidden from his rivals, who tried to murder him three times last month. According to the official investigation, ‘El Tortas’ was the main target of the ‘killer mariachis’ in September, and though he managed to get away, his neighborhood lieutenant was killed, as well as his lover.

Intelligence also showed that ‘El Huguito’ survived three attempts on his life in January : Once on January 8 at the Roma neighborhood; another on the 17 deep in the Tepito neighborhood; and one more on the 20 at a safehouse in the Gustavo A. Madero delegation . Apparently, he is wanted by the Anti-Unión Tepito group.

Police reports also indicated that ‘El Pozoles’ met the same fate. After a series of attempts on his life, he hid in the State of Mexico , where he formed yet another criminal group that federal authorities identified as ‘Los Pozoles’ or ‘Those with the Faceless Smile.’ In the Nezahualcóyotl municipality, after a series of confrontations with a local criminal group, he was arrested by elements of the Federal Police.

With ‘El Pozoles,’ ‘El Betito,’ and ‘El Pistache’ behind bars, and ‘El Huguito’ on the run, there is no visible authority leading the Unión Tepito cartel, which has worried authorities since several small groups have formed and could once again start a war in the streets of the Cuauhtémoc and Venustiano Carranza delegations .

Leader of Tepito Union criminal gang captured in Mexico City

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