“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat
Video translation is as follows:
“This will be the fate of the fucking Noveno operatives who are involved with this gang of faggots. You will all suck our dicks, you will all suck our dicks. Take a look at this you faggots. I could give a fuck about La Tuta. Come and get his ass”.
The faction working for Zambada Garcia has been in a fierce dispute with Los Chapitos for control of the plazas in northern Sonora.
The atrocious execution was captured on video and circulated on social networks.
A video showing the brutality with which organized crime groups confront each other in Mexico has once again circulated on digital platforms.
This footage, whose date of recording is unknown, stars a hitman who apparently belongs to the armed wing of Los Yiyos, led by Sergio Valenzuela Valenzuela Valenzuela, alias ‘El Yiyo’ or ‘El Gigio’, who operates under the orders of Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada in northern Sonora.
The footage is almost two minutes long, but a 24-second shortened version went viral on social networks. It shows a man handcuffed, sitting on a rock with his head covered and resting on his knees.
There, among the brush and trees, appears the man who seconds later would be his executioner wearing military clothing, a tactical vest and a balaclava. In his hands he is holding gloves and the knife with which he would cut his victim’s neck.
Photos of ‘El Yiyo’ shared by the US government in 2013 and 2023. To date, there is no official version to explain the notable differences between the two portraits (OFAC/DEA).
In contrast to other types of videos, in which the hitmen usually make extensive threats to their rivals, in this partial version of the recording the man limited himself to warning: “This is going to happen to the Novenos mob,” a phrase he accompanied with a series of insults.
“Novenos” is the name given to the hitmen of the Grupo Cazadores, who previously collaborated with Los Chapitos of the Sinaloa Cartel, but have recently begun to operate independently.
This nickname corresponds to the aliases of Jesus Humberto Limon Lopez, leader of Los Cazadores known as ‘El Noveno’, ‘El Chubeto’ or ‘El Cazador’.
Through a narco message, Los Pelones assured that Los Cazadores would act independently.
El Cazador’ was arrested in June 2021 in the municipality of Altar and was indicted days later for the crime of organized crime. As of the date of this publication, it is presumed that one of the main leaders of Los Cazadores is Saúl Francisco Hernández Tenorio, alias ‘El Fantasma’ and ‘El Ponchis’, leader of the group of hitmen known as Los Fantasmas.
The reason for the split between Los Cazadores and Los Chapitos is still unknown, but this separation was announced on the morning of November 6 in several narcomantas that alleged criminals placed in Altar. As part of their message, they stated that Los Cazadores would now be an “independent” cell.
Although the location where Los Yiyos’ hitman captured the video has not been made public, it is presumed that it could have been in northern Sonora, as this cell of ‘Mayo’ assassins maintain a strong presence in Nogales and, for a couple of years, has been trying to displace the allies of Los Chapitos to take over that municipality. Along with the towns of well Benjamin Hill, Magdalena de Kino and Imuris.
Altar, Sonora
Benjamin Hill, Sonora
Magdalena de Kino, Sonora
Imuris, Sonora