Members of a criminal group were arrested on Sunday when they were distributing military-style toys with the letters CDN, allegedly in reference to the acronym for the criminal organization (Northeast Cartel), to minors in a municipality in the Mexican state of Nuevo León (north), authorities reported. According to the Secretariat of Public Security, Citizen Protection, and Social Prevention of the municipality of Guadalupe, Nuevo León, the events took place in the Escamilla neighborhood of that metropolitan municipality. The arrest occurred after a vehicle that was being sought for its alleged involvement in a pair of executions was found. Officers noticed the presence of four men who were delivering the toys to minors. When they were discovered, the subjects tried to flee but were intercepted. Authorities seized 144 doses of green and dry herb with characteristics of marijuana, a .223 caliber firearm, a 9mm caliber firearm, 120 .223 caliber cartridges, 17 9mm cartridges, and eight boxes of toys, each in its packaging with the CDN legend. The men were identified as Lander Alejandro, 18 years old, alias 'Tocino', from Baja California; Erick 'Flaco', 27, and Bryan 'Lucifer', 25, both from Veracruz, as well as Francisco Israel 'Cañangas or Isra', 31, from Monterrey. The four detainees are accused of their participation in two executions and another violent incident where shots were fired, with no reported victims, which occurred in December. The CDN or Northeast Cartel is a criminal organization in Mexico, considered a splinter group of the Zetas, and is linked to illicit activities such as homicide, drug trafficking, and extortion. This is not the first time that alleged members of organized crime have given gifts to the population. On other occasions, members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) have taken to the streets dressed in balaclavas and with long guns to distribute toys to minors, on dates such as December 25, Christmas Day, and January 6, Three Kings' Day. The toy giveaways are carried out in marginalized areas of the states of Michoacán and Jalisco.
