Tag

Cartels

All articles tagged with #cartels

world-news26 days ago•25 min saved

Mexico’s influencer killings surge as cartel violence claims 20th social media star in 2 years

Mexican influencer Jose Luis Esparza, known as El Putirrí, was shot dead at a taco shop in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, becoming the 20th online personality killed in Mexico since 2024 as drug-trafficking groups target social-media stars to influence narratives or facilitate money laundering; authorities cite other cases linked to cartel rivalries and are examining possible collateral targeting due to family cartel ties.

via New York Post|

#cartels #influencers #mexico

politics1 month ago•6 min saved

DHS Recasts Seal to Signal Daily War on Evolving Threats

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced a symbolic seal change so the eagle now faces the arrows, signaling that the department is “at war every single day” against a fluid threat landscape that includes terrorism tied to cartels, drone attacks, and cyber threats, with fentanyl deaths cited as a major driver of risk. He stressed the need for agile, across‑the‑board protection of critical infrastructure and public officials as threats shift by the day and warned of cyberattacks from Iran, North Korea, China and Russia—even as debates over border enforcement funding continue ahead of the 9/11 anniversary.

via Fox News|

#cartels #dhs #drones

world1 month ago•200 min saved

U.S. Army laser downs cartel drones near Texas border

The U.S. military used an Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser to shoot down three Mexican cartel drones in the Rio Grande Valley near the U.S.–Mexico border. Location of the strikes and whether they occurred on U.S. or Mexican soil were not disclosed. Officials said the drones threatened U.S. personnel, reflecting broader border-security efforts and cartels’ increasing use of unmanned aircraft. Mexico’s president warned against unilateral action on Mexican soil as a sovereignty issue.

via CNN|

#border #cartels #drones

world2 months ago•25 min saved

Those Guys Scare Me: Mexican Influencer Cesar Gastélum Killed Live on Stream

Mexican influencer Cesar Gastélum, 24, was fatally shot during a live-streamed stunt outside a KFC in Culiacán after signaling fear about a nearby motorcycle. Investigators are probing cartel links amid Sinaloa cartel violence; Gastélum had described himself as “belico” (warlike) and had over 650,000 TikTok followers. The suspected attackers fled on a motorcycle, and President Claudia Sheinbaum's government pledged to arrest the perpetrators and uncover the motive, with officials considering cartel violence as a possible cause.

via New York Post|

#cartels #cesar-gastelum #live-stream

world2 months ago•4 min saved

Live-streamed murder in Sinaloa sparks questions about influencers and cartels

César Gastélum, a Mexican influencer, was shot dead during a livestream in Culiacán, Sinaloa, prompting scrutiny over possible links between content creators and cartels; authorities noted some posts referenced criminal groups, though Gastélum had no reported threats, and past cases show influencers being targeted amid cartel power struggles. Experts say narco-culture and wealth-driven content can attract narco attention, and cartels have reportedly used creators to promote their brand. Officials vow to pursue both those who carried out the killing and those who ordered it, as authorities continue efforts to sever ties between pop culture and crime; the incident underscores the ongoing violence and cartel influence in digital spaces.

via BBC|

#cartels #influencers #livestream

world2 months ago•3 min saved

TikTok Star César Gastélum Shot During Livestream in Culiacán, Sparks Federal Probe

Mexican TikTok influencer César Gastélum, who had more than 600,000 followers, was shot dead Tuesday while livestreaming in front of a fast-food restaurant in Culiacán after two helmeted riders on a motorcycle approached; authorities say a major security operation is underway and are examining whether the attack is linked to social media posts mentioning a cartel faction. The incident occurs amid ongoing cartel violence in Sinaloa between Los Mayos and Los Chapitos, with President Sheinbaum promising to identify and arrest those responsible.

via ABC7 Los Angeles|

#cartels #culiacan #gastelum

politics2 months ago•1 min saved

Texas THC crackdown could boost cartel-backed black market, warns lawmaker

Democratic state Rep. James Talarico warned that Texas’s enforcement of the ban on most synthetically derived hemp THC products, including delta-8, could push consumers to the black market and benefit drug cartels. The move follows a Texas Supreme Court ruling; possession of banned THC products can be charged as a state jail felony, and Paxton’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment.

via USA Today|

#black-market #cartels #delta-8

world-news2 months ago•24 min saved

CJNG Cartel Leader Arrested Over Live-Streamed Influencer Murder

Mexican authorities arrested Ramón Ángel Álvarez Ayala, a senior figure in the Jalisco New Generation Cartel nicknamed 'R1', after prosecutors say he ordered the murder of beauty influencer Valeria Marquez during a live-stream at her Jalisco salon following her breakup with his son. The 23-year-old influencer was killed as she broadcast to followers, in what investigators describe as a femicide arranged by Álvarez Ayala at the behest of his son Francisco Álvarez. Álvarez Ayala faces charges including methamphetamine possession for trafficking, firearms, and ammunition offenses. The case ties into broader cartel violence in western Mexico, including the 2025 killing of Mayor Carlos Manzo, and comes amid a broader crackdown that has yielded numerous arrests in related investigations.

via New York Post|

#arrest #cartels #live-stream-murder

world2 months ago•43 min saved

Mexican Mayor Slain Inside Town Hall After Surviving Earlier Attack

A Mexican mayor, Valentin Lavin of Temoac in Morelos, who had survived an armed attack earlier this year, was shot dead inside the town hall as authorities pursued the suspects. The killing highlights ongoing cartel-linked violence against local officials in Mexico, where nearly 100 mayors have been murdered since 2006 and at least 14 have been killed since late 2024.

via Yahoo|

#assassination #cartels #mayor

world4 months ago•16 min saved

Guadalajara bolsters security for World Cup amid cartel violence scare

Guadalajara deploys the National Guard around the stadium hosting FIFA World Cup matches to reassure fans and pledge a safe tournament after fears of cartel violence.

via AP News|

#cartels #mexico #security

world5 months ago•13 min saved

CIA Expands Covert Cartel Campaign Inside Mexico

CNN reports that the CIA has broadened its covert, and at times lethal, operations inside Mexico to dismantle cartel networks, including direct involvement in a high-profile assassination and ongoing real-time intelligence support with Mexican authorities, raising sovereignty concerns and fears of potential spillover of violence into the United States.

via CNN|

#cartels #cia #covert-operations

world5 months ago•8 min saved

Indictment Sparks a Mexican Crossroads on Cartel Corruption

U.S. prosecutors unsealed an indictment accusing Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya and multiple officials of colluding with the Sinaloa Cartel, taking bribes and votes for impunity. Rocha denies the charges, while President Sheinbaum has shown restraint, delaying arrest requests and framing the case as a matter for Mexico’s attorney general. The affair deepens a partisan split in Mexico, tests bilateral ties with Washington, and raises questions about whether the government will aggressively pursue corruption or shield officials, even as cartel violence continues in Sinaloa.

via The New York Times|

#cartels #corruption #mexico

world-and-nation5 months ago•6 min saved

Mexico Resists U.S. Extradition Demands in Drug-Charges Indictment

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected the U.S. indictment of a sitting Sinaloa governor and other Morena officials on drug-trafficking charges, saying Mexico will not arrest or extradite anyone and accusing Washington of meddling; the stance could strain U.S.–Mexico relations and recalls the 2021 Salvador Cienfuegos affair.

via Los Angeles Times|

#cartels #extradition #sheinbaum

world5 months ago•1 min saved

Mexico says CIA agents killed in Chihuahua were not authorized to operate in the country

Mexico says two CIA agents killed in a car crash in Chihuahua were not authorized to participate in operations on Mexican soil; one entered as a visitor and the other with a diplomatic passport, and the government is reviewing the case with local authorities and the U.S. Embassy amid conflicting accounts about foreign involvement.

via PBS|

#cartels #chihuahua #cia

world-and-nation5 months ago•8 min saved

CIA presence at Mexican drug raid sparks sovereignty tensions

Four CIA agents joined a Chihuahua drug-lab raid, disguised as local officials; two CIA officers died in a vehicle crash returning from the operation. The incident, reportedly the third time CIA personnel accompanied Mexican authorities this year, has Mexico demanding explanations and potential sanctions, highlighting constitutional prohibitions on foreign agents in law enforcement and straining U.S.-Mexico cooperation in the fight against cartels.

via Los Angeles Times|

#cartels #chihuahua #cia