As part of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum's strategy to combat organized crime groups, Mexico's Navy and members of the Attorney General's Office made a new high-profile arrest: that of Omar Félix Loaiza, also known as "El Pelón" and "El 8."
Besides having deep ties with the Sinaloa Cartel, Loaiza is allegedly the leader of group known as "Los Pelones," an armed cell and enforcer gang that has remained loyal to "Los Chapitos" faction ever since they declared war to "La Mayiza" for control of the turf.
Authorities said the arrest of "El Pelón" took place on Nov. 15 in the city of Culiacán, where he was allegedly hiding. Mexico's Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection (SSCP) confirmed the arrest after images and videos of Loaiza started circulating on social media.
#ÚltimaHora🚨| Confirma el Gobierno Federal la detención de Omar “N”, alias “El Pelón de Sonoyta” ayer en Las Quintas, #Culiacán. Además del tráfico de armas, fentanilo y personas, se le atribuye coordinar los enfrentamientos ofensivos hacia un grupo delincuencial rival en… pic.twitter.com/KO9CnrPx2x
— Luis Alberto Díaz y Los Noticieristas (@noticieristas) November 15, 2024
A Sinaloa state official revealed that "El Pelón" was using the city of Culiacán as a hiding place, as the criminal group of "Los Pelones" is known for conducting its illicit business in the state of Sonora.
"He was not working here, we know that Loaiza and his group control Sonora, but it seems like he was looking for refuge in Culiacán for whatever reason," said Leoncio Pedro García, subsecretary of Sinaloa's Prevention and Social Reintegration agency.
Despite García's comments, investigations from federal authorities signal that "El Pelón" was indeed working in Sinaloa, coordinating attacks for "Los Chapitos."
Omar García Harfuch, Mexico's top security official and head of SSCP said that intelligence reports surrounding Loaiza gave authorities hints that "El Pelón" was coordinating attacks against a rival group in Culiacán. Harfuch added that once Loaiza was located, authorities surveilled his activity even when he was on the move.
According to Harfuch, Loaiza has been linked to several homicide charges as well as being accused of gunrunning, human trafficking and of distributing large amounts of fentanyl to the state of Arizona.
Who are "Los Pelones?"
The group known as "Los Pelones" is an armed cell that works for the Sinaloa Cartel in the northern state of Sonora. The group was one of the first armed wings to exist in Mexico after the Cartel del Golfo added "Los Zetas" as an armed cell of its organization in the late 1990s.
According to InSight Crime, at the end of Vicente Fox's administration (2000-2006), "Los Pelones" along with "Los Zetas" and "La Linea" were the only killer cells that existed in the country. But by the end of Felipe Calderón's administration six years later, that number grew to 59.
Apart from serving as an armed wing for "Los Chapitos," the group is involved in drug trafficking, gunrunning and the smuggling of migrants to the U.S.
Authorities say "Los Pelones" are mainly located in Sonoyta, Caborca and Pitiquito, all cities located within the state of Sonora.
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