The Interrogation of Danna Iveth Espinoza Escobar

The criminal cell La Plaza launched a threat against alleged members of Los Salazar, a group with which they are fighting for control of the area.

The young woman appeared in a video with her eyes covered, sitting on a chair and with her hands and feet tied.

A recording allegedly released by members of La Plaza, the armed wing of the Caborca ​​Cartel, showed the interrogation of Danna Iveth Escobar, a young woman reported missing in recent days in the state of Sonora.

On the afternoon of November 17, the Rastreadoras de Ciudad Obregón collective published the file corresponding to the disappearance of Danna Iveth on its Facebook account. According to the data provided by the group, she was last seen on the 14th in the town of Cócorit, belonging to the municipality of Cajeme.

In the video published days later, Danna Iveth appears sitting on a brown chair, with her eyes covered and her hands and feet tied. Although the circumstances under which she spoke on camera are not known, she said that her partner had forced her to get involved in drug dealing and surveillance.

Her boyfriend, identified as ‘El Güero’, “made me sell drugs, sometimes he checked and recorded the government. My work was done as a spy. He was my boyfriend, he got angry if I didn’t do it,” can be heard in the young woman’s first statements.

“My boyfriend sells drugs in Zapatito and El Conti,” says the young woman subdued by the hitmen, referring to the neighborhoods where, apparently, ‘El Güero’ would carry out his activities.

“I recommend to all the boys and girls from Cócorit who are paying attention to the mob of ‘Nando Arenas’ and ‘Franco’ to value their lives, because I was lucky and it’s the first and last time. Whoever you are, whatever your age, whether you’re a man or a woman, if you are like me, pointing out the government, recording the government, checking when strange people are seen or selling drugs, you have to deal with the consequences”, is Danna Iveth’s message towards the end of the material.

As of the morning of November 20, the date on which the interrogation was recorded, as well as the whereabouts of the young woman, are unknown.

‘Nando Arenas’ is an alias attributed to Fernando Salmerón Pérez, former member of La Plaza in Cajeme who, allegedly, changed sides to join the ranks of Los Salazar, an independent group that previously worked for Los Chapitos.

Both ‘Franco’ and ‘Nando Arenas’ were mentioned in multiple narco-banners found in recent weeks in Cócorit. In the intimidating messages, both subjects were attributed with the control of illegal video surveillance centers.

On November 13, elements of the Criminal Investigation Ministerial Agency (AMIC) and the National Defense Secretariat (Defensa) carried out an operation in different points of Ciudad Obregón that led to the confiscation of 11 surveillance cameras that were used by Los Salazar and La Plaza.

The devices were placed on electricity and telephone poles in various parts of the San Rafael, Primero de Mayo, San Anselmo, Del Valle and Cajeme neighborhoods.

“These cameras were used for surveillance work by organized crime, which is affecting the security and peace of the citizens,” explained the local Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Days before, on November 2, state and federal authorities announced a similar operation, which allowed the removal of 22 video surveillance cameras placed illegally in different areas of Ciudad Obregón.

Sources: La Verdad en Sonora, Infobae