“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat
The victim was attacked outside his home in Cuautepec, allegedly he was part of the “Los Escamos” criminal cell.
So far there are no detainees for the fact.
On the night of Thursday, November 23, there was an intense police mobilization in the area of Cuautepec, belonging to the Gustavo A. Madero neighborhood north of Mexico City, where an armed attack against a young man outside his home transpired.
According to newspaper reports, the victim was known in the area as “El Cachetes”, a teenager allegedly dedicated to drug trafficking and robberies of passers-by. Elements of the Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC) arrived at the site, who cordoned off the perimeter
The events occurred at the intersection of Avenida del Trabajo and Calle Pantera, in the Cocoyotes neighborhood, where personnel from the Attorney General’s Office (FGJ) of Mexico City arrived to carry out the removal of the body and lead the first investigations to clarify the motive for the homicide.
Through a statement, the SSC reported that during the night of October 20, “El Cachetes” in the company of another subject identified as Lauren “N”, were arrested in possession of marijuana and cocaine. The events took place in the same colony where the minor was murdered.
During a surveillance tour in the Cocoyotes neighborhood, the officers noticed that, on the corner of Avenida del Castillo and Cerrada Castillo, two young people were handling wrappers similar to those used for drug sales.
El Cachetes” was arrested last October for alleged drug possession
In order to rule out any criminal act, they approached the subjects who were told that they would be searched. Their efforts resulted in the securing of 42 plastic bags with marijuana, 82 doses of cocaine, and cash. Both were taken to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, but they were released due to them being underage.
Childhoods trapped by organized crime
Beyond the fact, it is worth asking who “El Cachetes” was and how a 15-year-old boy joined the ranks of organized crime. According to information from journalist Carlos Jiménez, the minor’s name was Cristopher, and he was known in the neighborhood for his work related to the sale of drugs.
A report by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), published in 2017, points out that the number of young people working for organized crime amounts to 30,000. However, activist Saskia Niño de Rivera, of the Reinserta organization, estimates that the number exceeds 75,000.
The Network for the Rights of Children in Mexico (REDIM) has reported that the average life of young people who join the ranks of organized crime is approximately 10 years. The agency explains that criminal organizations have managed to build recruitment systems in the absence of public policies that positively influence the school, social and economic sphere of minors.
Carlos Jiménez El Heraldo de México Telediario Reinserta