Six cartel assassins belonging to the armed wing of the Juárez Cartel, known as “La Línea,” were captured in Juárez during two separate police operations in the El Paso-Juárez Metropolitan Border Area.
Local media reported on the arrests of the first three assassins identified as Hiram Antonio M. M., José Manuel V. G., and Vianey Monserrat B. P. who were suspected in the murder of a 24-year-old male shot multiple times with a 9mm handgun in colonia Electricistas. Witnesses observed the suspects flee in a red Ford Mustang which was later located by Juárez municipal police in colonia Revolución Mexicana and stopped after a pursuit.
After arresting the three suspects, Juárez police discovered a 9mm handgun with nine rounds along with a small quantity of cocaine, according to the Secretary of Public Security for the City of Juárez. He also related that investigators for the state police found seven 9mm shell casings at the homicide scene and the three detainees admitted to being members of La Línea and were executing their rivals from “Los Aztecas.”
The leader of the detainees, Hiram Antonio, 27, has a criminal record for illegal firearm possession and robbery.
The next three gunmen were also arrested by Juárez municipal police on the morning of May 29 as a result of intensive patrols carried out in response to the escalation of cartel violence. A police patrol observed a 2010 Ford Ranger driving recklessly in colonia Fronteriza and upon initiating a traffic stop, observed an occupant toss an object out the window. A search produced a .45 caliber handgun and 13 rounds which resulted in the three occupants being arrested. The trio admitted their membership in La Línea and was identified as Adrián Ángel P.S., 27; Jorge Luis P.B., 22; and Martin Feliciano L.L., 27. They claimed they were carrying the weapon for protection, according to local news reports.
Breitbart Texas reported extensively on the cartel violence in Juarez and on the split between Los Aztecas and La Línea, in addition to the May 24 arrest of Bruno Angel Rangel, aka “El Bruno,” who served in leadership for both groups. Breitbart Texas also reported on the recent arrest of Los Aztecas members in Juarez who admitted that they were fleeing La Linea after splitting from the organization.
In early May, due to the heightened levels of cartel violence, the federal government was forced to deploy elements of the Mexican military.
Robert Arce is a retired Phoenix Police detective with extensive experience working Mexican organized crime and street gangs. Arce has worked in the Balkans, Iraq, Haiti, and recently completed a three-year assignment in Monterrey, Mexico, working out of the Consulate for the United States Department of State, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Program, where he was the Regional Program Manager for Northeast Mexico (Coahuila, Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Durango, San Luis Potosi, Zacatecas.) You can follow him on Twitter. He can be reached at robertrarce@gmail.com
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