The suspected ringleader of a Mexican gang that recruits children to carry out violent crimes has finally been captured by police.
Cops arrested Diego N, better known by his alias “La Rata Gorda”, or “The Fat Rat”, after a 48-hour long operation carried out by four different forces. The detainee was named as the suspected leader of criminal gang “Los Motonetos” – which gained notoriety in Mexico‘s Chiapas Highlands for its involvement in violent crime, drug dealing, homicides and other illicit activities.
The name “Los Motonetos” meaning “The Scooters”, was chosen as a nod to the gang’s mode of transportation, with its members seen riding motorcycles and scooters alongside armed passengers. Local journalist Carlos Rafael Coutiñ said the bulk of the Motonetos’ income is from local drug trafficking, prostitution and the production and sale of what is known as “ethno-pornography.”
A report by the BBC found that this type of pornography is often created through coercion and blackmail, and exclusively features people from Indigenous communities. Coutiñ added that violence erupted in the San Cristóbal de las Casas area after two Motonetos leaders began fighting for control over the market to sell this pornographic material, as well as drugs.
Diego was arrested in the northern area of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, following a coordinated effort between the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE), the Secretariat of Public Security, the Pakal Immediate Reaction Force and the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA). Their investigations concluded that Diego was one of the main perpetrators behind violent crime that has sown fear into the region.
He is currently in custody and his legal status will be determined in the coming days. Police say the ringleader’s arrest marks an important milestone in the fight against organised crime in Chiapas. They also reassured locals that actions were being taken to restore peace and security in San Cristóbal de Las Casas.
Los Motonetos have also been accused by the FGE and journalistic reports of being involved in activities that go beyond common crimes. The group is believed to be functioning as a “shock group”, and used by people and political organisations to create social pressure, carry out blockades and demand the release of detained members.
According to the InSight Crime portal, the criminal gang turned to recruiting young people from nearby indigenous communities to multiply their base of operations and their influence in rural and urban areas.
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