High-Level Drug Traffickers Linked to CJNG Ordered Kidnapping and Demanded Ransom for Victim’s Release

High-level drug traffickers with connections to the notorious Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG) in Mexico orchestrated the kidnapping of an individual on United States soil. The victim was held captive until a ransom of $400,000 was paid. The US Department of Justice revealed these shocking details on Monday, November 6.

Noé Hernández, an individual involved in the abduction, aided in the kidnapping and subsequent captivity of the victim. Hernández inflicted electric shocks on the victim using a Taser gun while they were bound and defenseless.

According to the official report, members of the CJNG contacted the victim’s relatives and demanded the hefty sum of money in exchange for the victim’s release. Homero Gallegos, another individual linked to the criminal organization, has already pleaded guilty for his involvement in the crime.

Fortunately, the victim was rescued after a coordinated operation to deliver the ransom money. The successful rescue operation led to the identification of the CJNG as one of the most violent criminal groups in Mexico. This highly dangerous organization, led by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as El Mencho, is responsible for smuggling significant quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl to the United States.

The CJNG, described as a ruthless criminal group, conducts various atrocities including kidnapping, murder, and the use of electric shocks to inflict harm. This international criminal organization is known to devastate communities from Mexico to Houston, according to Texas federal prosecutor Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Noé Hernández and his accomplices now await sentencing, which is scheduled for March 2024. The charges carry the possibility of life imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Houston Police, with prosecutors Aníbal J. Alaniz and Casey N. MacDonald handling the legal proceedings.

The identity of the kidnapping victim remains undisclosed, with the incident occurring in May 2019. A DEA document also revealed that the CJNG, led by El Mencho, has distribution points in various US cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Chicago. The criminal organization has an extensive international presence, excluding Antarctica.

In Mexico, the CJNG controls drug trafficking corridors along the border, including cities like Tijuana, Mexicali, Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, and Ciudad Juárez. According to DEA estimates, the CJNG boasts around 18,800 individuals involved in its criminal activities.

Another criminal group with distribution points in the US is the Sinaloa Cartel, with the Los Chapitos faction accused of trafficking fentanyl into the country.

The case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing fight against international drug cartels and the need for cross-border cooperation to bring these criminals to justice.