CDN Tropa del Infierno battle in Nuevo Laredo

“HEARST” for Borderland Beat

Initial reporting indicates a group of hitmen from CDN Tropa del Infierno tried to ambush members of the military. A half hour long battle turned chase ensued in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas.

On May 27 2021, at roughly 2:30pm a shooting broke out on Airport Avenue in western Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. The earliest, unconfirmed reports are that the shooting began when a group of alleged Cartel Del Noreste (CDN), or Northeast Cartel, members tried to ambush members of the military. The cartel members were reportedly a part of Tropa del Infierno, an infamous armed wing of CDN. 

The ambush on the military led to an outright gun battle. The shoot out reportedly lasted for over half an hour and prevented all traffic in the area. In videos shared on social media, shots from high-powered firearms can be heard. Photos of the incident depict multiple vehicles damaged, as if from crashing. A yellow school bus, white car and two unknown black vehicles can be seen in photos with visible damage.

Balaceras en #NuevoLaredo #Tamaulipas entre SEDENA y el Cartel del Noreste la Tropa del Infierno deja 2 sicarios abatidos y un civil herido; Así se escuchó pic.twitter.com/TRI7lWcmLa

— FRONTERA AL ROJO VIVO (@FronteraRV) May 28, 2021

A civilian bystander reportedly working at a fried food company was injured by a bullet from the crossfire. He was reportedly hit in the left leg and is in stable condition. Several uninvolved vehicles were also damaged by the projectiles from the firefight.

The gun battle ended in a chase, with the cartel members being chased by military personnel. Reportedly the chase affected the Voluntad y Trabajo, Reservas Territoriales, Unión del Recuerdo, Nuevo Era and Villas de San Miguel neighborhoods of Nuevo Laredo.