Overview

• Municipal police detained René Belmontes Aguilar, alias “El Rino” or “El Chamuco,” on August 27 in the Jardines del Pedregal neighborhood, along with an alleged hitman.
• Authorities reported seizing firearms, ammunition, drugs, cash and advanced equipment from the vehicle, including a drone and a satellite internet system.
• Following the arrest, the detainees were turned over to the FGR in Morelia, and local officials later said Belmontes was being moved to Mexico City.
• The mayor declared a red alert, urged residents to limit movement, and publicly asked President Claudia Sheinbaum and Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch to deploy the Navy and National Guard.
• State and federal forces reinforced patrols as shops temporarily closed over fears of reprisals, while security reports link Belmontes to a CJNG cell tied to kidnappings, extortion and attacks with explosives in a strategically vital region for avocado production and trafficking routes.