They removed 39 CJNG accounts on TikTok; they were used to recruit people.

The Government of Mexico announced the elimination of almost 40 TikTok accounts linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Through these profiles, people were recruited through false job offers with the purpose of integrating them into illicit activities.

In a press conference, the head of the Security Secretariat (SSPC), Omar García Harfuch, reported on the measures taken after the capture of José Gregorio “N,” alias ‘El Lastra’.

This individual is identified as a suspected recruiter for the CJNG and is involved in the Teuchitlán case, Jalisco, where the Izaguirre ranch is located.

After the arrest of ‘El Lastra’, an investigation was conducted on various social media profiles. According to García Harfuch, these accounts were directly related to the recruitment of people for organized crime.

In total, 39 TikTok accounts were taken down, a platform where the false job offers were disseminated. The removal of these profiles was carried out after a formal request to the service administrators.

Job offers as a recruitment method

The CJNG used social networks to attract people with deceptive ads. In these, positions as security guards were offered with salaries ranging from 4,000 to 12,000 pesos per month.

Those interested were summoned at different bus stations in Jalisco, where they were then taken to the Izaguirre ranch in Teuchitlán. There they were held against their will for a month, during which time they received weapons training.

José Gregorio ‘El Lastra’ led this operation of recruiting people. His activity in recruitment spanned from May 2024 to March 2025.

The discovery made at the beginning of this month by the collective Guerreros Buscadores of Jalisco led ‘El Lastra’ to attempt to suspend these operations.

According to García Harfuch, on March 10 a meeting was held in Puerto Vallarta between ‘El Lastra’ and Gonzalo Mendoza, alias "El Sapo", high-ranking member of the CJNG. In this meeting, Gregorio was reportedly ordered to cease training activities.

On March 20, ‘El Lastra’ was captured in Mexico City along with a woman. Since September of last year to date, authorities have arrested 48 people linked to this recruitment scheme.