State authorities in Chiapas, Mexico, arrested the alleged leader of a local criminal group known for committing crimes such as robbery, kidnapping and extortion.
Joaquín "El Chorizo" Flores Hernández was arrested by agents of the Chiapas Attorney General's Office and the People's Security Secretariat in the municipality of Chilón, a small rural community nestled in the mountainous, jungle-covered region of central Chiapas.
According to authorities, "El Chorizo" has been identified as a potential leader of the criminal group Karma, a local cell in Chiapas. Current state Attorney Genera lorge Luis Llaven Abarca revealed that the Karma criminal group acts as a regional cell for the Sinaloa cartel. He added that four other members of the local gang were arrested April 10 and, just like "El Chorizo," they are "now facing justice."
As reported by Infobae Mexico, an arrest warrant was issued against Flores Hernández after making multiple threats, including showing up armed to a local government building and physically assaulting law enforcement officers.
"He told them he would come with a convoy and that, if they didn't let them go, he would take their lives," said Óscar Aparicio Avendaño, head of security in Chiapas. "That's why we decided to transfer him to Tuxtla Gutiérrez and serve him with an arrest warrant for homicide," he added.
According to authorities, Flores Hernández is linked to previous homicides in the region, including the deaths of four rural farmers and a journalist.
State officials suggest "El Chorizo" was involved in the January 2019 massacre of four rural farmers in the nearby community of Yajalón, about 12 miles north of Chilón. The victims were ambushed while on their way to a protest when the alleged gang members attacked them.
His name is also linked to the 2018 murder of journalist Mario Leonel Gómez Sánchez, a correspondent for El Heraldo de Chiapas in Yajalón and whose case remains under investigation.
In addition, "El Chorizo" counts with family ties with state deputy Juan Manuel Utrilla Constantino, who has held other positions within the Yajalón local government.
According to reports, Flores Hernández is the brother-in-law of the lawmaker and several groups in Chiapas have called for an investigation into Utrilla for possible links between local officials and criminal groups.
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
