Colima authorities detain alleged Los Mezcales distributor

AF Medios reports that Colima’s State Coordination Board for Peace and Security said state Public Security and Citizen Protection Secretariat (SSPC) officers and Navy personnel detained a man identified as Uriel Arturo “N” during intelligence and operational work in the municipality of Cuauhtémoc. AF Medios attributes the identification to investigative information and reports that authorities identified the detainee as a suspected drug distributor for the Independent Cartel of Colima, also known as Los Mezcales. The cartel affiliation and the alleged distribution role are reported claims, not findings established by a court.

According to AF Medios, authorities seized several bags containing a granular substance with characteristics similar to methamphetamine, as well as usable cartridges, during the intervention. The report does not state that the substance has been confirmed through a laboratory result, and it does not provide a quantity for the suspected drug or the ammunition. It says the detainee and the seized evidence were placed at the disposal of the competent authority.

AF Medios reports that the competent authority will continue the investigation and determine the detainee’s legal status. The source also cites Article 13 of Mexico’s National Code of Criminal Procedure, saying that a person cannot be held legally responsible unless responsibility is declared in a judgment by the appropriate court. Colima’s State Coordination Board said coordinated operations would continue across the state to reduce the logistical capacity of criminal organizations, according to the report.