# Criminal activity and violence in Mérida

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/criminal-activity-and-violence-in-mrida
> Updated: 2026-10-09T20:59:58.000Z. Sources: 14. Developments: 3.

Criminal activity in Mérida, Mexico, has involved both localized law enforcement actions and targeted violence against organized crime figures.

In mid-September, state police arrested two men in the Jardines del Norte neighborhood after discovering a firearm and military-grade ammunition. Separately, authorities intercepted a virtual kidnapping attempt at a hotel in the Delio Moreno neighborhood, where workers were targeted by extortion calls.

By early October, violence escalated with an attempted homicide in the Montes de Amé neighborhood. José Marcelino “N”, an alleged criminal leader known as “El Marce,” was shot by two individuals on a motorcycle as he was leaving a residence. “El Marce” had been designated a priority target by the Quintana Roo Prosecutor's Office due to alleged links to drug trafficking and territorial disputes; he has since been identified as a leader of the Cancún plaza operating out of Mérida.

Following the attack on October 2, the Secretaría de Seguridad Pública (SSP) and the Fiscalía General del Estado (FGE) established security checkpoints and conducted searches. By October 9, four individuals—identified as Rubén Ernesto T. M., Rubén Ernesto C. C., Rubí de los Ángeles M. E., and Claudia Cristina C. M.—were formally charged and placed in preventive detention. They face charges of “attempted qualified homicide committed by a gang.” A judge has established a three-month period for the completion of the complementary investigation. Authorities previously seized a motorcycle and a gray sedan believed to be connected to the crime.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-09: Mérida authorities detain four for attempted gang homicide

Four people face charges for attempted gang-related homicide in Mérida, Yucatán, after a shooting targeting a local figure identified as a Cancún plaza leader.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mrida-authorities-detain-four-for-attempted-gang-homicide

### 2026-10-02: Mérida police detain suspects after shooting of alleged criminal leader

Police in Mérida have detained suspects following an attempted shooting of José Marcelino “N” (alias “El Marce”), a suspected criminal leader from Quintana Roo, in the Montes de Amé neighborhood.

12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mrida-alleged-criminal-leader-el-marce-shot-in-attempted-homicide

### 2026-09-15: Mérida authorities arrest firearm suspects and thwart extortion attempt

Police in Mérida, Mexico, arrested two men for illegal possession of military-grade ammunition and intervened in a virtual kidnapping attempt targeting workers at a local hotel.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mrida-authorities-arrest-firearm-suspects-and-thwart-extortion-attempt

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Cite as: Criminal activity and violence in Mérida. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/criminal-activity-and-violence-in-mrida