Two active Tecate municipal police officers are now in state prison after a court hearing exposed months of WhatsApp messages between them and a hit squad linked to the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). The officers shared photos of detainees, crime scenes, and patrol routes, and alerted the gang to army operations in real time. The case, built from a single seized cellphone, paints a picture of a local police force that was not merely corrupt but functionally embedded in a cartel cell.
A Seized Samsung Phone Broke Open the Tecate Police Cartel Network
The investigation began in February when state agents arrested Jesús Salvador, known as “El Chuy,” along with two associates. They are suspects in a triple homicide near Valle de las Palmas, where three bodies with signs of torture were found inside a red TrailBlazer on the road connecting the free highway to Tecate. Agents seized a turquoise Samsung Galaxy A07 from the group.
Someone had tried to wipe the phone. But forensic technicians from the FGE, Baja California’s state attorney general’s office, recovered the deleted data. What they found was an archive of WhatsApp conversations, photos, audio, and video exchanged between cartel operatives and Tecate municipal officers.
The messages spanned from December 22, 2025, to February 9, 2026. They showed two officers in particular acting as full intelligence assets for a CJNG-affiliated cell called “Los Batacas.” State Attorney General María Elena Andrade identified the cell as a CJNG affiliate that carried out contract killings, drug trafficking, and migrant smuggling across the U.S. border.
On June 22, FGE agents executed search warrants across Tecate. They had warrants for at least five municipal officers. Two were arrested: Ángel, known as “El Barbas,” and Juan Leonardo, known as “El Corral.” Both were active members of the Tecate municipal police force. A judge ordered preventive detention on June 23 after finding their release would endanger witnesses.
Officers Released Suspects, Identified Rivals, and Tipped Off Hit Squads
The WhatsApp exchanges read at the June 23 hearing reveal a relationship that went far beyond tip-offs. The officers functioned as operational partners for Los Batacas.
On February 7, El Corral warned the cell by message: “El Barreras is headed your way.” Minutes later, he reported that no detainees were being held in the colonias of San Pablo or Zapata. El Chuy and his boss wanted to know if one of their members had been released from custody.
El Barbas played a broader role. He sent photos of people he detained to cartel leaders, asking whether each was “one of theirs.” In one exchange, he wrote: “I grabbed him for a crash, but they were full of problems, candy, and weed. Says he’s with El Diez.” After El Chuy confirmed the man belonged to the organization, El Barbas released him on the spot.
In another conversation, El Barbas shared crime scene photos from the colonia Maclovio Herrera. After reviewing the images, El Chuy identified the victim as “ours.” The officers also reported on army and Guardia Nacional movements, state police vehicle numbers, and the location of armed individuals near a kindergarten.
On the night of February 10, El Corral sent a final warning about the military operation that would result in El Chuy’s arrest near Valle de las Palmas. “On the Valle de Palmas side, two of our units are patrolling, and I think Defense too,” the message read. By then, El Chuy was already in custody. The message went unanswered.
Los Batacas Used La Rumorosa and El Hongo Roads as Killing Grounds
Two former members of Los Batacas testified at the hearing. Both said they had worked as lookouts, informants, and migrant handlers for the cell. They described a network of roughly ten municipal officers who fed intelligence to the group.
The former members said rivals were kidnapped, taken to remote areas around Tecate, La Rumorosa, El Hongo, and Cerro Azul, and killed. Some bodies were buried. Others were dumped in territory controlled by rival groups to provoke conflict, a tactic known as “heating up the plaza.” La Rumorosa and El Hongo sit along the Highway 2 and Highway 2D corridor, the main route connecting Tecate to Mexicali. Thousands of drivers, including cross-border commuters and tourists headed to the Sea of Cortez, use this road daily.
The witnesses also described a private surveillance camera network operated by a figure identified only as “Charlie,” which the cell used to monitor movement across Tecate. They said the group burned the homes of people who refused to cooperate.
Both former members fled to Tijuana and Playas de Rosarito after refusing to continue working with Los Batacas. They told prosecutors they feared being found by Tecate police officers loyal to the cell.
State Prosecutor Named Tecate’s Mayor in Describing the Infiltration
Attorney General Andrade did not accuse Tecate Mayor Román Cota of direct involvement. But she made a point of naming him and his administration when describing the scope of the infiltration. She stated that the compromised officers served under Cota, a Morena party member and former PRI politician, and noted their “direct links” to the mayor’s office and his cabinet.
Tecate is a city of roughly 110,000 people on the U.S. border, about 35 miles east of Tijuana. It shares a port of entry with Tecate, California. The city’s craft beer scene and proximity to the Valle de Guadalupe wine region draw regular weekend visitors from San Diego County.
The two officers now face charges including criminal association, unlawful exercise of public office, violation of official secrecy, and obstruction of justice. A private attorney joined their defense team moments before the hearing began, replacing the public defenders initially assigned. The prosecution has indicated it sought warrants for at least five officers total, so more arrests remain possible. This story was first reported by Punto Norte.