A civilian forensic collective is asking the public for gasoline donations to reach a known cartel burial ground in the Valle de Mexicali on Saturday, July 11. The Célula de Búsqueda de Investigación de Desaparecidos, a search group founded and run by families of disappeared people, plans to comb Ejido Nezahualcóyotl, a rural area the group calls the “epicenter” of clandestine burials in the valley. The operation is tied to a string of disappearances linked to a Mexicali bar called Shots Factory.
100 Finds in Three Years, All Self-Funded by Families
Juan Gonzalo Moreno Márquez, the Célula’s technical operator, leads these searches for a deeply personal reason. His son, Kevin Moreno Ana, disappeared on March 26, 2022, from the Shots Factory bar in Mexicali. That case, along with other disappearances connected to the same establishment, has drawn sustained public attention in the region. Moreno Márquez told local media that the ejido is “strongly related” to those cases.
The Célula operates as an independent civil and forensic organization across Baja California and Sonora. Over three years, the group has logged 100 finds of human remains. Every operation runs on members’ own vehicles, tools, and personal funds. The group only requests government accompaniment in exceptional cases, when elevated risk requires perimeter security from authorities.
That self-reliance is not by choice. Mexico’s official search infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with the country’s disappearance crisis. The National Registry of Missing and Unlocated Persons recorded more than 116,000 cases nationwide as of early 2025, with Baja California ranking among the states with the highest per-capita disappearance rates. Mexicali and Tijuana together account for the bulk of the state’s cases. Baja California’s state search commission, the Comisión Estatal de Búsqueda (CEB), was created in 2019 but has faced criticism from families over limited staff, slow response times, and a backlog of unprocessed cases.
Groups like the Célula have filled that gap across Mexico. At least 100 civilian search collectives now operate nationally, according to estimates from the Movement for Our Disappeared in Mexico (MNDM), a national coalition of families. These groups train themselves in forensic techniques, coordinate with universities for identification support, and often locate remains that official agencies have missed.
Ejido Nezahualcóyotl: Cartel Training Camps and Remains Up to 12 Years Old
The site the Célula plans to search Saturday sits in the agricultural flatlands east of Mexicali proper. Ejido Nezahualcóyotl is one of dozens of ejidos (communal farming settlements) scattered across the Valle de Mexicali. Its remote location, sparse population, and desert terrain make it attractive to organized crime groups seeking disposal sites far from urban eyes.
The Célula has already conducted previous searches at the ejido and found remains dating back as far as 12 years. The group also discovered three separate sites that functioned as cartel training and shooting ranges. Moreno Márquez described finding spent shell casings from high-caliber weapons: .223 rifle rounds, 9mm, and .38 Special, along with smaller calibers. Shooting targets were also recovered. These findings point to a site used not just for burial but for active paramilitary-style operations over a sustained period.
The Valle de Mexicali has surfaced in previous investigations as a disposal corridor. The region’s vast agricultural grid, crisscrossed by dirt roads and irrigation canals, offers hundreds of isolated locations. Search collectives have found remains at multiple ejidos across the valley in recent years, each discovery adding to an incomplete picture of how many people may be buried there.
Saturday’s Operation Depends on Public Gasoline Donations
The immediate obstacle for the July 11 search is fuel. Moving vehicles and heavy equipment from Mexicali into the valley requires gasoline the group cannot currently afford. Moreno Márquez said the Célula’s packed schedule of searches on behalf of multiple families has stretched its resources thin.
Anyone wishing to contribute gasoline or other support can contact the group by phone at 686-116-3893. The Célula accepts fuel directly or funds to cover transportation costs.
The search at Ejido Nezahualcóyotl is scheduled for Saturday morning, July 11. The Célula has indicated it will continue returning to the site as resources allow. This story was first reported by Punto Norte.