The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed Monday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported an undocumented immigrant identified as David Vargas Rivera, an alleged hitman associated with the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel and accused of laundering more than $4 million.
Vargas Rivera was removed from the United States on July 14 and turned over to Mexican authorities. He is wanted in Mexico in connection with multiple homicides and has been identified as an alleged hitman linked to the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel (CSRL). He had also previously been arrested in Canada and Colombia.
"This undocumented criminal is wanted for murder in Mexico, has been charged with laundering more than $4.6 million, and has been identified as a hitman affiliated with the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel, a Foreign Terrorist Organization," said Lauren Bis, Acting Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs and Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Te podría interesar
"Thanks to the hard work of the men and women of ICE and our law enforcement partners, he has been removed from our country and will face justice for his crimes in Mexico. Under the administration of President Donald Trump and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, we are prioritizing the safety of the American people," she added.
ALSO READ: "El Mayo" Zambada Sentenced to Life in Prison in U.S.
Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel Based in Guanajuato
The Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel (CSRL) is a Mexican criminal organization founded in 2014 in the state of Guanajuato. Unlike traditional drug cartels, its primary criminal enterprise did not originate in drug trafficking but in fuel theft and fuel smuggling, commonly known as huachicol. The group later expanded into crimes including extortion, kidnapping, and local drug distribution.
Current Leadership and Structure
José Antonio Yépez Ortiz, known as "El Marro": He was the cartel's founder and principal leader until his arrest in August 2020. Although he is serving a 60-year prison sentence, reports from the U.S. Department of the Treasury indicate that he continues to direct the organization's activities from prison through relatives and attorneys.
Operational leadership: Day-to-day operations outside prison are reportedly overseen by close family members, including his sister, Karem Lizbeth Yépez Ortiz, and his son, Luis Antonio Yépez, known as "El Marrito." Authorities have also identified figures such as Mario Eleazar Lara Belman, alias "Negro" or "Camorro," as a key generator of violence leading the group's enforcement arm known as "Los Marros."
Recent arrests: Federal authorities have detained senior operators, including Moisés "N," alias "Moy," identified as the head of operational cells, and Agustín "N," alias "El Logan," who allegedly managed the organization's financial resources and bar businesses.
Strategic Alliances and Territorial Expansion
To withstand pressure from its longtime rival, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), the CSRL has evolved from a primarily local organization into one operating in approximately 43 municipalities across Mexico. According to authorities, its continued operations have been supported by four principal alliances:
- Logistics and military support: It allegedly receives weapons and personnel from the "La Mayiza" faction of the Sinaloa Cartel to counter the CJNG's expansion.
- International distribution: It reportedly maintains an agreement with the Gulf Cartel's Ciclones-Escorpiones faction to transport stolen fuel by rail toward the U.S. border.
- Local alliance: The organization is allied with criminal groups such as Unión León in the León metropolitan area.
- Regional cooperation: It also cooperates with Cárteles Unidos in the state of Michoacán.
The violent struggle for control of Guanajuato's industrial corridor—particularly in municipalities such as Celaya, Irapuato, Salamanca, and Villagrán—has made the state one of Mexico's most violent regions. Citing the group's role in transnational fuel smuggling and its financial networks, the U.S. government has imposed sanctions and property-blocking measures against the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel and its leaders.
djh