“Enojon” and “Char” for Borderland Beat
On May 27th, the Northeast Cartel announced their intent to halt robberies carried out along the Nuevo Laredo – Monterrey Highway in a banner discovered along the Los Borregos bridge of the National Highway in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon.
The banner, signed by an individual identified as ‘Comandante Benson’ a presumed leader of the ‘Los Chuky’ or ‘Fuerzas Especiales Chuky’ (FEC) cell of the Northeast Cartel, claims the criminal organization has chosen to intervene now after waiting for authorities to respond to the crimes but to no avail.
A translation is as follows:
“People of Nuevo Leon and other states who travel along the Nuevo Laredo – Monterrey highway and have been robbed of money, cars and things you earned through efforts. We, the Northeast Cartel, will stop these rats in our own way, we haven’t done it before as we waited for the Law of Nuevo Leon to take care of it, since so many people have reported it to the Civil Force as they’re at the KM. 54 checkpoint and the ones closest to where the rats pass by but never do anything. If the Law of Nuevo Leon permits that they rob locals and tourists, we the Northeast Cartel do not allow any theft, kidnappings [or] extortion and you rats…stop robbing people because you’ll [get the same punishment] as those in the grey truck at the KM. 42 point, we’ll stop all you bandits stealing from people.
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Similar messaging has become commonplace among criminal organizations as an attempt to form a positive image for themselves better assimilate into local communities for protection and recruitment purposes, while also committing the same violence or acts they so often discourage against such communities.
The banner follows a contradicting message that circulated through social media on May 12th where the criminal group claims they will keep drivers and their vehicles hostage if found traveling along the they will keep drivers and their vehicles hostage if found traveling along the Monterrey – Laredo and San Luis Potosi – Saltillo highway between midnight and 6 AM.
A translation is as follows:
“All transportation operators and custodians are advised to notify their bosses that [whatever] unit we discover circulating between 12 at night to 6 of the morning along the highways of Monterrey – Laredo and of San Luis [Potosi] – Saltillo will be kept [hostage] until they pay a protection [fee], as rivals are burning vehicles.
This is for all types of vehicles from vans, trucks and trailers this is not a game pay attention or face the consequences.”
Sources: Hyperlinked in text