Capture of a Key Operator in Tabasco
In a coordinated action of national relevance, the Federal Security Cabinet reported this Thursday the arrest of an individual in Villahermosa, capital of the state of Tabasco. During the operation, the authorities managed to seize an arsenal that included a long gun, a grenade launcher tube, thirty useful cartridges, a magazine, approximately 3.9 kilograms of marijuana, an undetermined amount of methamphetamine and a vehicle reported stolen. This procedure is part of a broader strategy to dismantle the finances and logistical capacity of criminal groups operating in the region.
Through a cross-verification of the hierarchical structure of the criminal group and an official consultation in the National Registry of Detentions, EL UNIVERSAL was able to confirm the identity of the detainee: Guadalupe Luna Hernández, known in the criminal field under the alias of “El Coyote“. This subject is identified as a second-level commander within the criminal organization “La Barredora“, which underlines the strategic importance of his capture for intelligence and public security.
A Blow to the Criminal Command Structure
The file from the National Detention Registry details that the arrest of Luna Hernández was carried out yesterday by elements of the Mexican Navy, the Mexican Army, the National Guard, the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) and the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Tabasco. The physical description of the detainee indicates him as a man approximately 1.65 meters tall, dark complexion, robust complexion and straight black hair. At the time of his capture, he was wearing casual clothing consisting of a T-shirt, shorts and sandals, which suggests that he was not expecting the intervention of federal forces.
The analysis of the criminal structure of “La Barredora” places Guadalupe Luna Hernández in a critical operational position: she acted as the direct armed arm of Daniel Hernández Montejo, alias “Prada” or “El H“, who is the current top leader of this criminal organization. This direct hierarchical relationship makes “El Coyote” a fundamental link for the operation and security of the ringleader. The organization is immersed in an intense territorial struggle in Tabasco against the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG), a conflict that has generated a significant increase in violence in the entity.
According to ministerial files and intelligence reports consulted, “El Coyote” was considered one of the main generators of violence in the Tabasco capital. His role as armed arm of Hernández Montejo involved the supervision of violent actions, the logistics of confrontations and the protection of the territorial interests of the organization, which made him a priority objective for the authorities.
With this arrest, the number of ringleaders of “La Barredora” who have been detained rises to nine. This list includes figures of first, second and third level of command, among which notable figures stand out. One of them is Hernán Bermúdez Requena, alias “Comandante H” or “Grandfather“, who served as Secretary of Public Security of Tabasco and is identified as the historical founder of the organization. Another emblematic case is that of Ulises Pinto Madera, “El Mamado“, who served as second in command of the criminal structure and who, after his capture, has become a collaborating witness of the Attorney General’s Office (FGR), providing crucial information about internal operations.
The list of captured leaders is completed with other key operators: Abel Pérez Pedraza, known as “Don Abel“, “Inge” or “Patrón“, who directed the criminal cells of “La Barredora” in the strategic municipalities of Comalcalco and Paraíso; Uriel García Flores, alias “Pescuezo” or “Crab“, a central operator of the organization; Francisco Javier Custodio, “Wasón“; and Rosario Sánchez Juárez, “Charo“, who led a specific criminal cell. This series of arrests represents a serious blow to the group’s operational and decision-making capacity.
“La Barredora” is a criminal organization that remains under active and constant investigation in Tabasco. Throughout 2025, numerous arrests, arrest warrants issued by federal judges and judicial testimonies have been documented that have allowed public security authorities to more precisely outline their organic structure and their range of illicit activities. This legal offensive has caused, as a collateral effect, waves of violence in Villahermosa and other municipalities, in a clear reflection of the dispute over control of plazas and drug trafficking routes. The organization is mainly dedicated to kidnapping, extortion of businesses, fuel trafficking (huachicoleo) and facilitation of migrant trafficking, diversifying its sources of income and its impact on national security.
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