Christmas Day was a busy one for law enforcement in Culiacán, Sinaloa, as an operation led by the Mexican Army and units of the Secretary of Security and Civilian Protection (SSPC) arrested four men and seized a handful of armored vehicles.
Top security official Omar García Harfuch took to X to announce the capture of the four suspects, as well as several objects: five armored vehicles, four large firearms, a mini machine gun and a grenade launcher.
Harfuch said that the suspects opened fire at authorities, injuring one officer. The incident took place when officials patrolling the area noticed some movement around a property in the neighborhood of Las Quintas.
El día de hoy en Culiacán, Sinaloa se desarticuló una célula generadora de violencia, hay 4 detenidos, se aseguraron armas de fuego de alto poder, granadas, equipo táctico, vehículos blindados, y cartuchos.
— Omar H Garcia Harfuch (@OHarfuch) December 25, 2024
Un compañero de Investigación resultó herido y se encuentra fuera de… pic.twitter.com/wDdgQHdAug
After securing the arrests, authorities confirmed that the suspects have heavy links with a criminal group led by Jorge Humberto Figueroa Benítez, alias "El 27" or "El Perris," head of security for "Los Chapitos."
Who is "El Perris?"
The Chapitos count with an armed wing that protects its leaders and carries out attacks against rival groups. In their case, the group assigned of carrying out such tasks are "Los Ninis," who were led by Pérez Salas until his arrest in 2023.
Also known as "El 27," Figueroa Benítez has been an important figure of the Chapitos organization since November of last year, when Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas alias "El Nini" was arrested. U.S. authorities say he is a key figure in the group's fentanyl production and distribution.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security catalogs Salas as one of the men responsible for massive production and distribution of fentanyl in the U.S.
Earlier this year, "El 27" was close to being detained during a raid coordinated by the Mexican Army, but he managed to escape. Five days later, authorities believe he was responsible of orchestrating an attack against the Mexican Army in Sinaloa.
On April of last year, a federal grand jury in New York indicted "El Perris" and others cartel members, charging them with engaging in a Continuing Criminal Enterprise, Fentanyl Importation Conspiracy, and Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy, between other charges.
The U.S. Department of State is currently offering a reward of up to $1 million for information that leads to his arrest.
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