A criminal organization that allegedly dedicated itself to kidnapping migrants to force them to join their ranks was dismantled in the Niños Héroes neighborhood of Caborca. The arrest occurred when an armed individual tried to take refuge in a home where 11 people with high-caliber weapons were present. Among those detained was Valentín Franco "N", alias "El Niño Sicario", 17 years old, son of Magdalena Canastillo and Adán Franco, alias "El Cholo", an alleged drug trafficker who was murdered in May 2023.
"El Niño Sicario" is identified as responsible for at least 10 homicides in the Sonora desert. His capture was carried out alongside Enrique Padilla, alias "Kike Padilla", presumed plaza chief in the region. So far, Magdalena Canastillo Figueroa has not issued any comment on the matter, despite being an active figure on social media.
During the operation, security forces found a plot of land in the Nuevo Amanecer neighborhood with more than a dozen bodies in an advanced state of decomposition. The detainees, including "El Niño Sicario" and the alleged members of Los Delta, attempted to bribe the security personnel with 300,000 pesos, unsuccessfully. They were later made available to the Federal Public Ministry.
The Attorney General's Office of Sonora reported that it will conduct forensic analysis to determine the exact number of victims. The discovery of the bodies occurred 2.5 kilometers from the urban area of Caborca and was made possible thanks to the statements of the detainees. Eight AK-47 rifles, one AR-15 rifle, and one Glock 9x19 pistol, weapons belonging to Los Delta, a criminal cell with a presence in various municipalities of Sonora since its founding in 2018, were seized.
