Alleged criminal leader arrested in Hermosillo; Prosecutor's Office blames him for recent wave of violence

HERMOSILLO, Sonora (apro) .- The capture of a priority target for the security of Hermosillo was carried out in the early hours of Monday, July 7, in a coordinated operation between state and federal authorities, according to reports from the local Attorney General's Office, released Tuesday.

The criminal is believed to be the leader of a group that has been involved in the territorial dispute for control of the capital city of Sonora.

"The criminal cell has been seriously weakened in its structure; it is one of the most prolific in the capital, under investigation for a large number of violent incidents that have occurred in recent months," said Carlos Alberto Flores, commissioner of the Criminal Investigation Agency.

The criminal record of the suspect, identified as Ramsés Damián, who is already in pretrial detention at the Hermosillo prison, has led to four arrest warrants issued for three counts of homicide, aggravated by premeditation, treachery, or treason, possession of methamphetamine, violent abortion, and other offenses. According to authorities, all of this can be traced back to 2001.

Recently, however, the detainee was accused by the Sonora Prosecutor's Office of directing coordinated attacks on drug dealing outlets, the so-called "dumps" that proliferated due to the "cartelization" model of organized crime.

"The notable events attributed to the defendant include an attempted murder against Reyna Gabriela 'N', a member of a rival group, which occurred on June 23, 2025; the attack and killing of three people at a drug sales point in Colonia Jacinto López on June 10; aggravated homicide, aggravated abortion, and homicide in Colonia Centro on June 18; and another attempted homicide in Colonia Insurgentes on June 17," the institution stated, although these crimes are still pending verification.

That is, the Sonora Attorney General's Office, along with the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of the Navy, and the Ministry of Public Security, presented the detainee as the person responsible for the wave of violence currently affecting the state, mainly since June, but which intensified during the first week of this month.

The aforementioned dispute over control of the illicit circuits in Hermosillo is the one between Los Salazar and Los Matasalas, the latter of which emerged under the orders of the criminal organization of the sons of Joaquín Guzmán Loera.

According to unofficial sources, one of these groups has reportedly taken control of the southern part of the city in recent months, causing the violence to shift primarily to the north. This information generally coincides with the high-impact crimes listed by authorities in neighborhoods such as Jacinto López and Insurgentes.

In addition to the criminal leader, the Prosecutor's Office stated, two of his associates were arrested; it was also announced that the maximum sentence under the law will be sought in all cases.