Alejandro Gertz, Mexico’s attorney general, announced on Tuesday that the ranch located in Teuchtitlan, Jalisco, where human remains, clothing, and weapons were discovered last month, has been a long-standing site for organized crime operations and training. This so-called ‘ranch of horror’ was uncovered in March, revealing bone fragments, ashes, and what appeared to be makeshift crematoriums, alongside hundreds of shoes and backpacks, amidst ongoing violent cartel activities in Mexico.
Gertz further stated during a press conference that a significant quantity of warheads, casings, operational targets, weapons, and training equipment were also recovered from the location. ‘It served as a long-term operational site where individuals were recruited and trained before being deployed for criminal activities,’ Gertz explained when asked about the ranch’s connections to organized crime. He also emphasized that the operations at the ranch and its controllers were associated with the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which has been accused by authorities of forcibly enlisting young individuals.
According to official statistics, Jalisco ranks among the states with the highest number of missing persons in Mexico and serves as the stronghold of the CJNG.
