The governor of Sonora, Alfonso Durazo, along with the governor of Arizona, Katie Hobbs, agreed to take measures to ensure safety in the region following the murder of former U.S. soldier Nicholas Douglas at a crime syndicate checkpoint on a road in Sonora.
The Attorney General's Office of the State of Sonora reported that, following the investigation into Douglas's murder, a Black Hawk helicopter neutralized four shooters in the Caborca area who were facing the Mexican Army.
In Sonora, cartels such as Los Salazar, the Caborca Cartel, cells of Los Chapitos, and Los Mayitos operate, competing for territory. Due to the increase in violence in 2024, unified commands were declared in several municipalities to reinforce security.
The pilot program agreed upon by Durazo and Hobbs aims to create "safe corridors" on roads free of criminal cells. The first selected stretch will be the road from Sonoyta to Puerto Peñasco, where Douglas was intercepted and murdered.
Durazo emphasized the importance of cooperation between Mexico and the United States to combat the criminal activity of internationally influential cartels. The measure aims to contain organized crime in the border region of Sonora.
