Recent arrest of Nestor Isidro Perez Salas, identified as a Sinaloa Cartel security chief, has revealed a deeply personal vendetta within the Mexican army.
Sinaloa Cartel Security Chief Accused of Plotting Attacks on Families of Mexican Military Personnel, Says Official (Photo: NPR)
Escalating Violence: Chilling Tactics of Sinaloa Cartel’s Chief Strategist
In a recent development featured by VOA News, in November 24, 2023, Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval revealed that Sinaloa Cartel security chief Perez Salas had orchestrated a 2019 attack on an unguarded apartment complex where soldiers’ families resided. This violent act was traced back to the cartel’s attempt to pressure the release of Ovidio Guzman, a son of the infamous “El Chapo” Guzman, who had been momentarily detained by the army. The revelation undermines the intricate and personal nature of cartel-military conflicts, as Sinaloa Cartel security chief Perez Salas sought revenge for the thwarted capture of Guzman, leading to a brutal attack on military dependents.
Beyond the personal vendetta against military families, Sinaloa Cartel security chief Perez Salas stands accused of orchestrating a series of brutal attacks that resulted in significant casualties. In a January incident, after the detention of Ovidio Guzman, Sinaloa Cartel security chief Perez Salas allegedly played a role in unleashing violence that left 30 people dead, including 10 military personnel. The cartel’s use of Black Hawk helicopter gunships against machine gun-mounted trucks highlighted the intensity of the conflict.
Additionally, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration had posted a $3 million reward for Sinaloa Cartel security chief Perez Salas, who faces extradition to the U.S. for drug charges. However, it appears his arrest was more than just a strategic victory against drug trafficking; it was a crucial step in halting a figure responsible for heinous acts of torture, killings, and gruesome violence.
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Trail of Blood: Sinaloa Cartel’s Chief Accused of Torture and Inhuman Acts
In a report published by West Observer, the scope of Sinaloa Cartel security chief Perez Salas’s alleged crimes extends beyond drug-related charges, as indicated by a Southern District of New York indictment. He is accused of participating in the torture of a Mexican federal agent in 2017, involving gruesome acts such as inserting a corkscrew into the victim’s muscles and placing hot chiles in the wounds.
The Ninis, a gang led by Sinaloa Cartel security chief Perez Salas and Jorge Figueroa Benitez, reportedly executed rivals on ranches owned by the Chapitos, sometimes feeding victims, dead or alive, to tigers owned by the cartel.
The indictment further exposes the cartel’s disturbing activities, including human testing on kidnapped rivals or addicts, injecting them until they overdosed. Sinaloa Cartel security chief Perez Salas’s arrest not only signifies a victory against drug-related crime but also a significant blow to a criminal network engaged in unimaginable acts of violence and brutality.
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