Members of the Mexican Navy and other federal agencies clashed with alleged members of a criminal cell linked to the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), resulting in 12 deaths and nine arrests.
The violent confrontation took place after a series of citizen reports raised suspicions that the remote community of Huizontla, Michoacán, was being used as a hideout for one of the CJNG's armed wings.
According to local media, the rural area was believed to house well-trained operatives skilled in tactical maneuvers and armed with high-powered firearms. The group was allegedly led by a man known as "El Yogurt".
In one of the videos shared by Omar García Harfuch, Mexico's top security official, federal forces are seen escorting the captured suspects with their hands cuffed behind their backs, flanked by masked officers.
In a post on X, Harfuch said the detainees are linked to crimes such as homicide, extortion, and kidnapping.
En Huitzontla, Michoacán, en una operación encabezada por la Secretaría de Marina @SEMAR_mx en coordinación con el Gabinete de Seguridad, @Defensamx1, @FGRMexico, @GN_MEXICO_,@SSPCMexico, y con apoyo del Gobierno de Michoacán a través de @SSeguridad_Mich, @FiscaliaMich… pic.twitter.com/9j4OhM0t14
— Omar H Garcia Harfuch (@OHarfuch) May 17, 2025
The dismantled cell was composed of Mexican nationals and former Colombian military troops. Three navy personnel were injured during the operation.
"The Indestructibles"
Security Cabinet reports identify the group as Los Indestructibles (The Indestructibles), led by Abraham Jesús Ambriz Cano, alias El Yogurt, a CJNG commander operating in the tri-border region of Michoacán, Jalisco and Colima.
According to El Universal, the cell under El Yogurt includes individuals with specialized training in the use of high-powered weapons, combat tactics and explosives.
Authorities also noted that the criminal group appeared to have the support and trust of the community. During the operation, residents of Huizontla—including men, women and children—attempted to block access to the town to prevent the entry of federal forces.
Chinicuila, the municipality where the clash occurred, is located in southern Michoacán and borders the state of Colima.
This specific region of the state is considered a strategic corridor for the trafficking of chemical precursors and the production of synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine and fentanyl due to its access to the port of Manzanillo, one of the busiest in the country.
Following the May 17 confrontation, the criminal cell retreated to other areas under its control and reinforced access routes to the Huizontla community with explosive devices, according to Security Cabinet sources.
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