Mexico City, September 28 – Residents of the Tlalpan borough in southern Mexico City discovered a bag containing human remains on Monday, prompting the immediate deployment of elements from the Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC) and the Capital Attorney General’s Office (FGJ-CDMX).
Discovery and Initial Response
The grim discovery occurred on Ferrocarril de Cuernavaca street, in the 2 de Octubre neighborhood, at the intersection with Tetiz street and near the Ruta 76 bus stop. While neither the SSC nor the FGJ-CDMX have issued an official statement, videos and photographs circulating on social media confirm the incident and the presence of authorities at the scene in Tlalpan.
According to journalist Antonio Nieto, the remains are believed to belong to a man between 35 and 40 years old. The victim was found tied and showed signs of torture. As of now, the identity of the individual remains unknown.
Following the discovery, SSC elements cordoned off the area, while personnel from Forensic Services initiated preliminary investigations at the site in Tlalpan.
Tlalpan: A Hub for Criminal Organizations
This discovery took place in the Tlalpan borough, which, according to an analysis published in Animal Político by Víctor Manuel Sánchez Valdés, a research professor at the Autonomous University of Coahuila and a doctor in public policy from CIDE, concentrates up to nine distinct criminal organizations. This figure, shared with Iztapalapa and Coyoacán, represents the highest number among the municipalities in the Valley of Mexico.
Sánchez Valdés constructed this map through a systematic search of journalistic sources from the 125 municipalities of the State of Mexico and the 16 capital boroughs, processed using QGis software.
The study estimates 62 active organizations and gangs in Mexico City. The Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC) of Mexico City supports a similar figure, documenting at least 62 active criminal groups in the capital in its “Criminal Groups 2024-2025” report. These groups are involved in drug dealing, extortion, homicide, kidnapping, and other high-impact crimes.
Among the groups with the strongest national presence in the Valley of Mexico, the specialist identifies the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), active in all 16 capital boroughs; La Familia Michoacana, with a presence in nine; and the Sinaloa Cartel and Unión Tepito, each identified in 12 boroughs, with the latter originating in the capital.
The analysis also includes 13 medium-sized organizations: Cártel de Caborca, Tren de Aragua, Cártel Nuevo Imperio, Los Rodolfos, Los Canchola, Cártel de Tláhuac, Fuerza Anti Unión Tepito, Los Tanzanios, Guerreros Unidos, Caballeros Templarios, Los Molina, Los Catalinos, and Ronda 88.
In Tlalpan, the most recently documented organization is Los Mojarras. On September 24, the SSC raided a property on Bienestar street, San Miguel Ajusco neighborhood, which was operating as a drug sales point, drug kitchen, and refuge for people with addictions.
Security Context and Official Statements
The discovery in Tlalpan comes weeks after the Head of Government, Clara Brugada, presented her August security report, in which she reported 43 homicides for the month, the lowest figure since official records began 29 years ago. Brugada attributed this result to a strategy combining proximity patrolling, video surveillance, and coordination with the federal government.
Source: Quinta Fuerza Noticias de México, Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC), Capital Attorney General’s Office (FGJ-CDMX), Antonio Nieto, Animal Político.
