In the State of Mexico, Sonora, and Oaxaca, among other states, criminal networks operate under the guise of unions, claiming affiliations with organizations such as CATEM.
Federal and state investigations have unmasked criminal networks operating under the guise of unions in states such as the State of Mexico, Sonora, and Oaxaca.
In the State of Mexico, the state prosecutor’s office identified social organizations posing as unions involved in the illegal exploitation, distribution, and sale of water.
Ministerial investigations point to the Association of Truckers, Merchants and Related Businesses of Mexico (ACME) and the Confederation of United Organizations and Unions of Mexico (Cosum) as engaging in this practice.
ACME presents itself as a union of transporters and merchants in the State of Mexico and Mexico City. The State of Mexico prosecutor’s office located water tankers operating with its logo in Cuautitlán Izcalli, Tultitlán, and Coyotepec.
Meanwhile, Cosum tankers were detected in Toluca. And in Chimalhuacán and Chicoloapan, the International Federation of Salaried Workers of Mexico (FITTAM) was identified as the operator of these vehicles.
The State of Mexico isn’t the only one
Criminal activities associated with unions are not unique to the State of Mexico. In recent weeks, complaints against CATEM have intensified, as, according to various business sectors in Sonora, personnel from this union are involved in systematic practices of extortion and blackmail.
The complaints became more visible after the arrest of Edgar Rodríguez Ortiz, aka El Limones, who was indicted on Wednesday, accused by the Attorney General’s Office of being a key operator for the Sarabia Cabrera group, a group dedicated to extortion between Durango and Coahuila.
El Limones was identified as a leader of CATEM, although the leadership of that confederation disavowed him. The official led a press conference with the security cabinet this Sunday.
Federal authorities have identified this modus operandi of criminal organizations operating under the guise of unionism.
On Sunday, December 14, at a press conference led by the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, it was revealed that unions had been identified that use stolen and cloned vehicles.
The Specialized Prosecutor of the State of Mexico, Sandy Orihuela, detailed that 178 cargo transport vehicles have been seized.
“In some cases, these are stolen transport vehicles, with their identification altered, and which are also used by unions or pseudo-unions that try to seize control of cargo transport operations, simulating legitimate activities. However, we have identified unions that use their name to commit these illicit acts.”
The organization identified was the Union of National Unions and Organizations of the Alliance of Truckers, Merchants and Related Businesses of Mexico.
In Cancún, Quintana Roo, state authorities are investigating a network operating within the Taxi Drivers’ Union to force drivers to transport drugs.
At the end of 2024, the union facilities were raided by the Quintana Roo Prosecutor’s Office, which found drugs and ammunition.
Sources: Milenio, Cartel Insider Archives
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