Over the past eight years, a cartel in the Valley of Mexico has grown quietly under the protection of certain authorities. It is the Nuevo Imperio cartel.
La Silla Rota obtained access to classified documents from the government of the State of Mexico that describe the organizational structure of this criminal group. The documents also identify officials and former officials who supported an operational and financial network that has only recently come under investigation.
The emergence
In the early hours of October 22, 2018, a convoy of pickup trucks carrying armed individuals was captured by Naucalpan’s C4 surveillance system. The convoy was driving along Avenida del Río, in the Colinas de San Mateo neighborhood. There were about 15 trucks and 30 to 40 individuals carrying long guns.
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The suspects searched young people on the street, entered two homes, and after spending just over an hour in the area, left without being confronted.
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This was nothing less than the incursion of a cartel into Naucalpan. Control of the territory had changed hands, and a new group had taken over street-level drug sales. It was initially believed to be the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), but events later showed that was not the case.
It was a local criminal group that at first claimed to be the CJNG, but over time adopted its own identity: the Nuevo Imperio cartel.
Its leader at the time was Néstor Arturo López Arellano, “El 20,” who is currently imprisoned.
“El 20” was linked to both the CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel. In fact, it was said that the Nuevo Imperio cartel was a splinter group of Sinaloa, but that also proved to be untrue.
It was a domestic mafia group that gradually strengthened in Naucalpan after the dissolution of the previous dominant group, La Mano con Ojos.
Today, the cartel has more members and has expanded from selling drugs to engaging in human trafficking and extortion.
The structure
According to a document from the Government of the State of Mexico, following the downfall of Néstor Arturo López Arellano, “El 20,” a leader emerged who had until recently remained hidden.
Intelligence work by the State Prosecutor’s Office and the State of Mexico’s Secretariat of Citizen Security identifies him as José Antonio Ruiz González, “Toño Tenis.”
Owner of several legitimate businesses and an extensive money-laundering network, “Toño Tenis,” also known as “El General,” is the cartel’s strongman, although official bulletins have named other individuals as leaders.
“Toño Tenis” is partnered with Katerin “R,” a former official from the Mexico City government’s Ministry of Health, who serves as the cartel’s financial operator, according to the official document.
Both are located in Condado de Sayavedra, in Atizapán, and in Ciudad Satélite, Naucalpan.
However, the area of influence of “Toño Tenis” and the Nuevo Imperio cartel extends as far as Azcapotzalco in Mexico City.
Another operator for “Toño Tenis” is José Guadalupe “R,” known as “El Chino,” who establishes legitimate businesses with drug money from his base in San Rafael Chamapa, Naucalpan.
“Toño Tenis’s” business interests range from family restaurants to nightclubs in Satélite, where he has had to negotiate with other mafia groups, such as La Unión Tepito, according to State of Mexico government investigations.
The trusted right-hand man of this crime boss is his brother, Luis Alberto Ruiz González, “El Chopo,” who allegedly has residences ranging from El Molinito, Naucalpan, to Río Bravo, Tamaulipas.
According to the document obtained by La Silla Rota, Juan Daniel Espino Sánchez, “El Tierno,” is the main drug distributor for “Toño Tenis,” and has also served as his driver.
“He is involved in cargo theft, fuel theft (huachicol), and maintains links with municipal, state, and federal security agencies,” the government investigation states.
The corruption network
Authorities in the State of Mexico have identified several public servants who allegedly support the Nuevo Imperio cartel.
These range from municipal police officers in Naucalpan and Atizapán to operators of Arco Norte surveillance cameras and investigative agents.
According to the investigations, a female official with the last name Vega is responsible for monitoring Arco Norte cameras and is allegedly on the cartel’s payroll.
One allegedly involved agent is Erick “O,” an investigative officer with the Homicide Prosecutor’s Office in the Valley of Mexico.
Another is Carlos Delfino, known as “El Bocho,” an investigative police officer with the Atizapán Prosecutor’s Office, according to the official document.
Several municipal police officers in Naucalpan and preventive police in Azcapotzalco are said to support the cartel, including one identified as “Erick G” from Naucalpan.
All of them allegedly provide crucial information to the Nuevo Imperio cartel, warning them about operations and investigative files opened against their members.
Based on intelligence from the State of Mexico government, members of the State Public Security Corporations and the Auxiliary and Urban Security Corps of the State of Mexico (CUSAEM) are also believed to be involved in the organization’s network.
The liaison with these elements is identified as Claudia Isela “M.”
CUSAEM was also previously linked to José Jorge Balderas Garza, “El JJ,” who attacked former soccer player Salvador Cabañas in 2010.
According to investigations at the time, CUSAEM provided armed bodyguards and weapons to the drug trafficker.
Human trafficking is reportedly a business the cartel has recently entered, through ties to the Korean mafia, with Karla Lee identified as the main operator.
She is said to manage sex workers via phone and social media, operating in Naucalpan, Tlalnepantla, Atizapán, Azcapotzalco, and Cuautitlán Izcalli.
Finally, the recruiter of hitmen and drug distributors is a nephew of “Toño Tenis,” José Roberto “R,” known as “El Tocino.”
All of these individuals are primary targets of the State of Mexico Prosecutor’s Office and Mexico’s federal Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection.
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