Justo Aurelio Rivera Parrazales arrested in Mérida; 15 luxury cars seized

Federal authorities in Mérida, Yucatán, detained Justo Aurelio Rivera Parrazales, identified as a financial and logistical operator of the Cartel del Noreste. The operation, coordinated by the Secretaría de Marina, the Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana, the Fiscalía Especializada en Materia de Delincuencia Organizada and the Fiscalía General de la República, executed four search warrants in Mérida and the Komchén police station. During the raids 15 high‑end vehicles – including a Ferrari, three Porsches and four Lamborghinis – and assets valued at more than 145 million pesos (about 8.2 million USD) were seized. Confiscated items also comprised a safe, two firearms, ammunition, a bag of apparent methamphetamine, cash in dollars, jewelry, electronic banking devices, communication equipment and digital storage media. The seized assets are reported to deal a significant blow to the cartel’s financial structure. Rivera Parrazales was placed under the custody of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office for further investigation. Some reports link him to former Chiapas governor Rutilio Escandón and to alleged money‑laundering schemes involving medical‑equipment companies.