By “El Huaso” for Borderland Beat
Mexican authorities have apprehended Felipe Jesús Ceballos Tovar alias “El Franco 6,” identified as the presumed successor to José Francisco “N,” known as “Alfa 1,” a key figure in the Escorpiones faction of the Gulf Cartel in the states of Queretaro and Guanajuato.
The operation, which included two raids in the Fraccionamiento Puerta Real area, also led to the detention of another individual, Marcelino “N,” another accused Escorpiones member.
The arrest, announced by Omar García Harfuch, Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, took place on July 2, 2025, in Querétaro. Both men operated in the states of Guanajuato and Querétaro, and are accused of drug dealing, homicide, and recruitment for Los Escorpiones.
Franco 6 assumed leadership after José Francisco Contreras Gómez “El Alfa 1“, the previous plaza boss for the Gulf Cartel’s “Los Escorpiones” faction, was arrested in March 2025. Alfa 1 had been identified as a main criminal element in the region, having been arrested numerous times since 2009 for a variety of offenses including; kidnapping, hydrocarbon theft, drug dealing, homicides and armed attacks on rival criminal organizations.
The operation yielded significant seizures, including vehicles, drugs, and electronic devices, which are expected to provide further evidence against the detained individuals.
Zeta Tijuana reported that “El Franco 6” was a plaza boss for the Gulf Cartel’s “Los Escorpiones” faction, an armed wing allied with the Cartel Santa Rosa de Lima. Local media, including AM Noticias, noted the suspect’s alliance with “El Marro:, of the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel.
Sources: Twitter Harfuch,, Am Noticias, Proceso, Milenio, Zeta Tijuana, La Silla Rota