The Story of La Unión Tepito: The Criminal Group That Dominates Mexico City

The story of the Tepito Union, the criminal group that dominates Mexico City, but not so much anymore. If you’ve ever heard that Tepito isn’t for everyone, it’s because, in addition to its reputation as a tough, working-class neighborhood, it has also been the epicenter of one of the capital’s most powerful criminal groups.

The Tepito Union, this group born of betrayals, drug alliances, and street violence, has controlled a good portion of organized crime in Mexico City for more than a decade. But its reign is no longer as firm as it once was.

Here, we tell you how this capital cartel was born. According to an Insight Crime investigation it all began in the 2000s when a group known as the Tepito Cartel controlled drug dealing in the city thanks to its connections with the Beltrán Leyva cartel.

But when that cartel collapsed, new players emerged. Among them, some defectors joined forces and created the Tepito Union. A gang born between 2009 and 2012 with members of the old school Familia Michoacána and even under the shadow of La Barbie, a kingpin who seemed straight out of a narco series.

Their modus operandi was simple but brutal. Targeted violence to eliminate rivals. They took over drug-selling areas and extorted everyone from street vendors to nightclub owners, and they didn’t do it alone.

They secured protection from corrupt police officers and infiltrated Tepito’s power base from the rest of the city. The Union expanded like wildfire, taking over the historic center of the Zona Rosa, parts of Iztapalapa, Benito Juárez, and Miguel Hidalgo neighborhoods. 

They not only sold drugs, but also charged protection money and gave out loans with unbelievable interest rates. They also recruited their members to work inside bars as drug dealers or even undercover waiters.

By 2017, they were already the dominant group, but as in any criminal empire, there are always betrayals and new enemies—adversaries of the bar establishments. . It was then that the Anti-Union Force emerged, a group that no one is sure was born as a neighborhood resistance or as an internal division within the Union itself. The truth is that they were fighting for the same reason: drug dealing and extorting.

They allied themselves with high-ranking police officers and extended their grip in the Álvaro Bregón, Cuoutemoc, and Tlalpan boroughs. In 2018, this war became more visible. Dismembered bodies appeared on major avenues with narco messages, like in the Insurgentes neighborhood. 

Even so, La Unión Tepito remained in control, expanding into wealthier areas where they could squeeze more money. What happened next in 2019?

Local merchants were so fed up that they signed a letter asking the government for help. The leader who spearheaded the initiative was assassinated days later. This was a red flag for the authorities. That same year, 31 members of La Unión Tepito were arrested. Drug labs were discovered, and police colluding with the cartel became involved.

Although many detainees went free. Yes, that’s how bad the system is. The operation marked the beginning of the decline. Since 2020 the government has stepped up to the plate. They have frozen more than $5 million in accounts and arrested over 550 members more than the other 10 Mexico City criminal groups combined.

Where is La Unión today? Currently La Union is fragmented. Its structure is no longer solid and it has had several leadership changes. The boss was Raul Rojas Molina, alias El Mi Jefe. But he was arrested in 2022. The pressure comes from all sides. 

On the one hand the big cartels like the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel are trying to get into the business within the capital. On the other, citizens and authorities are no longer giving them as much room to maneuver. What happened this week, May 16, 2025?

Mexico City police arrested two members of the Gregory gang, a group linked to La Unión Tepito. The events took place in different neighborhoods of Miguel Hidalgo. In the operations they seized marijuana, cocaine, cash, scales and even bank ledgers with accounts. 

This series of arrests have been organized. It was achieved thanks to citizen complaints and intelligence operations. The Union Tepito is still powerful, yes, but not as powerful as before, although they still control several key points of drug sales and extortion. 

Authorities are increasingly shutting down their illicit affairs. The most dangerous thing now isn’t only their activity but the loose fractions that remain. They can act more unpredictably. Tepito remains a strong symbol but the criminal power that bears its name faces one of its most vulnerable moments.

Why does it matter? Because understanding how these groups operate allows you to see that organized crime isn’t just something that happens in the Arcos del Norte area. It’s closer than it’s actually growing. It also affects commerce, security and even public transportation. And although it seems that there isn’t a solution to this matter. Pressure from citizens and actual police actions, not just speeches, can make a difference. 

Source: MVS Noticias