Bodies Found in Clandestine Mass Graves in Nogales, Sonora

“MX” for Borderland Beat; TY to “NealinCaborca”

The remains of three people were found buried in clandestine graves by members of the group Buscadoras de la Frontera in Nogales, Sonora.

The discovery was made at around 4:00 p.m. when members of the search group reported to 911 that they found the skeletal remains of a person. Minutes later they said that they had found two more bodies with clothing and items of a man and a woman. They speculated that more bodies could be buried there.

Th finding was done on a piece of land next to the well-known Hotel San Noé. This hotel is located next to the highway that connects Nogales with Imuris Municipality. Several bodies were uncovered in the surrounding areas in previous days.

It was learned that the searchers had to rent the services of a backhoe and other exvacation equipment to make the discovery, since they had anonymous information about the exact point where several people had been buried.

The site was attended by elements of the Sonora Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC) and specialits from the Forensic Medical Service, who were in charge of the exhumation of the remains. The bodies were taken to a local morgue where they will carry out all necessary procedures for their identification.

Background

As reported by Borderland Beat, Sonora is among the 10 states with the highest number of disappearances, and in the top five with the most clandestine graves.

Much of the violence in Sonora is driven by conflicts between several factions of the Sinaloa Cartel and local drug groups. Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel operates there with the support of Los Salazar faction. They are said to be competing with La Plaza and/or the Caborca Cartel, reportedly headed by Rafael Caro Quintero.

Local reports have mentioned that the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) may be working with Caro Quintero to fight the Sinaloa Cartel.

Other groups have been reported in the area, including a gang known as Los Jabalies and/or Los Jabalis, formed by the Villagrana family, and Los Memos, headed by Adelmo Niebla González and/or Guillermo Nieblas Nava (‘El G3′).

Sources: El Diario de Sonora; Proyecto Puente; Hiram Gonzalez Machi; Borderland Beat archives