Drug violence leaves 9 dead and 14 missing in Culiacán

Culiacan, Mexico.- In just three days, the dispute between groups of the Sinaloa Cartel has caused at least 9 murders and 14 forced disappearances in Culiacán and Eldorado, according to the State Attorney General’s Office.

Since last Monday, the state capital and surrounding municipalities began to register shootouts between hitmen from factions of the Sinaloa Cartel, which are fighting over “Los Chapitos”, as the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán are known, against Ismael Zambada Sicarios, “El Mayito Flaco”, who is said to have assumed control after the arrest of his father Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.

In addition to these crimes, 11 people have also been injured during the clashes, and 16 investigation files have been registered for complaints of vehicle theft. The cases have occurred in the municipalities of Culiacán and Eldorado, as well as in the municipality of Costa Rica.

Claudia Zulema Sánchez Kondo, Attorney General of Sinaloa, said that investigation files have been opened based on complaints filed by the affected people, as well as by official means.

“From September 9 to 11 of this year, 8 investigation files have been registered for the crime of intentional homicide on events that occurred in the central area of ​​the State, from which 9 male victims are derived,” the statement said. “Of these, six have already been identified and delivered to their relatives and three are unidentified, which are the bodies found on Agricultores Boulevard in the Villa Satélite Subdivision, another person found in the 16 de septiembre neighborhood, Culiacán City, and on Mexico 15 Highway to the South, Sindicatura de Costa Rica.” According to the ministerial authority, last Monday, when the violent day began in Sinaloa, the intentional homicide of a 32-year-old man was registered, who was found on Mexico 15 Highway south exit of Culiacán, where a confrontation between civilians occurred in front of a beach center. That same day, a man was murdered on Agricultores Boulevard in the Villa Satélite subdivision. He was a young man, who was found with handcuffs on his wrists and a deep wound on his face. Later, another man was found dead in the Simón Bolívar neighborhood, south of Culiacán. “The location of a dead male person was also recorded in the Eldorado funeral home, due to the incident that occurred in the town of Portaceli the night before the location; two males, one of whom died instantly after being hit by gunshots in the Cumbres subdivision in the Santa Fe sector, and the other male lost his life in the hospital where he was taken to receive medical attention,” the statement added. “A 28-year-old male, who was attacked by gunshot wounds, was found in the clinic where he was receiving medical care, located in Colonia Las Vegas. Another male also died by firearm and was found on the Mexico 15 South highway, in the municipality of Costa Rica.”