“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat
The bodies of a woman and a man were found by authorities on Monday, November 28, inside a white Chevrolet Astro van, license plate 6Y10855. They were naked, handcuffed and with visible signs of violence. Both bodies had a rope around their necks, it is presumed they were strangled.
Neighbors reported the presence of a suspicious vehicle parked during the early hours of Monday morning in the vicinity of San Jeronimo Street, in the Maclovio Rojas neighborhood of Tijuana. Authorities arrived at the scene to conduct an inspection, confirming the finding.
Next to the bodies, in the interior of the truck, a metal drum with a cardboard pasted on the outside, which contained threats against those who “support” Samuel García Vaca, alias “El Primo” and Alfonso Trapero Ibarra, alias “El Trapos”, concluding with “Guero Puchas, you’re next”, Sincerely, CDS. So far neither body has been identified.
Samuel Vaca García, alias “Primo”, “Cholo” and/or “El Gallo”, is alleged to be the alleged financial chief of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) since 2020, and is considered one of the main generators of violence in the municipality of Tecate. He was captured by members of the State Security and Investigation Guard (GESI) for carrying a firearm and having an arrest warrant for homicide in October 2020, and was released in July 2022.
In the criminal organization chart, the function of “Primo” was to establish the logistics for the payment of the criminal structure and public servants co-opted by the leader of the CJNG criminal organization in that municipality, particularly elements of the Municipal Police who provided information about the detainees or the date and time of the operations to be carried out in the areas where they moved.
Jesus Trapero, the second individual mentioned on the poster, is also known by his aliases “El Profe” or “El Trapos” and is a former Tijuana municipal police officer with a history of organized crime. In various investigations, he was linked to the criminal group of Teodoro García, “El Teo” or “Tres Letras”, captured in 2010.
Just last October 23, a poster with an almost identical message was found by authorities outside a metal drum on the Tecate – Ensenada highway at km 25+500, inside the container, the body of a man was found.
