In the Mexican border city of Tijuana, a recent killing spree has shocked the nation. The violent events that unfolded seemed like they were straight out of a TV crime drama. Enraged drug lords went on a hunt for corrupt police officers who had allegedly stolen a large drug shipment. Two officers suspected of the theft were among the first to be killed, according to prosecutors. However, the city's former police chief, Alberto Capella, revealed that at least three other officers had also been killed, suggesting that the cartel believed to have owned the drugs may have launched a generalized retribution.

Tijuana has long been plagued by violence and crime, earning the unfortunate title of Mexico's most homicidal city. It surpasses even the border city of Ciudad Juarez in terms of the number of homicides. With a population of over 2.1 million, Tijuana has been witnessing around 2,000 murders annually for several years. To put it in perspective, Houston, Texas, which has a similar population, recorded only 435 killings in 2022.

The chain of events began in mid-November when a group of local and state police officers in Tijuana allegedly conspired to steal a large shipment of drugs from a warehouse. Shocking video footage emerged last week, showing the officers' pickup truck leaving the building with plastic-wrapped bales of cocaine filling the truck bed. State Prosecutor Maria Elena Andrade confirmed that three state detectives and a similar number of Tijuana municipal police were under investigation in connection with the case.

According to Capella, the drugs that were stolen appeared to belong to the Sinaloa cartel, specifically the wing controlled by the notorious drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. The cartel seemed to have known almost immediately who was responsible for the theft. Just hours after the heist, gunmen targeted the federal prosecutors' office in Tijuana, showering it with at least 30 rounds of gunfire. Within an hour, one of the municipal police officers allegedly involved in the heist was gunned down on a street in broad daylight.

The violence escalated further on November 24 when gunmen launched a barrage of gunfire at the state prosecutors' office. Miraculously, no one was injured in the attack. Three days later, a state detective who was under investigation for the theft was shot and killed while refueling his car at a gas station. The detective appeared to have been aware of the impending attack and managed to start his car and drive a short distance before crashing into a column and succumbing to his wounds. The assailants fled on a motorcycle.

An anonymous employee of the state prosecutors' office confirmed that two officers under investigation in the theft case had been shot and killed on the city's streets, presumably in an act of gangland revenge. The employee also mentioned that the second officer had turned down an offer to join the state witness protection program in exchange for testifying in the case.

The situation in Tijuana is made even more alarming due to the city's history of violence and corruption. When Capella took over as the police chief, he had to dismiss approximately 25% of the force's officers. He also survived an assassination attempt. However, police officers stealing an entire drug shipment from a cartel represents a new low for Tijuana. Capella expressed deep concern, stating that the city had never experienced anything of this magnitude before.

Tijuana's current wave of violence can be traced back to 2017 when the number of murders nearly doubled, soaring from 919 in 2016 to 1,782 in 2017. Experts attribute this increase to turf battles between the Jalisco New Generation and Sinaloa cartels, as well as other groups like remnants of the old Arellano Felix gang. In March, authorities discovered over 1.83 million fentanyl pills at a stash house in Tijuana. The head of the DEA stated that the Jalisco and Sinaloa cartels are the two major Mexican cartels responsible for the influx of fentanyl into the United States, which has resulted in tens of thousands of American deaths. Earlier this year, 28 Sinaloa cartel members, including the sons of drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, were charged in a massive fentanyl-trafficking investigation.

The violence in Tijuana is so pervasive that it poses a threat to everyone, from government officials and police to businessmen, tourists, and even immigrants hoping to reach the United States. In August, the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana instructed its employees to shelter in place due to the dangerous situation. Reports circulated of alleged cartel members roaming the streets with military-style weapons, pulling people from cars and buses. The city has become a chaotic and dangerous place.

In an effort to curb the violence, the Tijuana city council voted in favor of banning performances of "narco corridos," which are drug ballads that glorify traffickers. Mayor Montserrat Caballero made it clear that if musicians performed these songs, they would face hefty fines. However, canceling a concert in October by a well-known narco corrido singer named Peso Pluma showcases the power and influence of the cartels. Banners threatening the singer appeared to be signed by the Jalisco cartel, angered by songs praising rival gangs.

Tijuana's mayor, Caballero, herself has experienced threats and chose to live at an army base for her own safety. In 2022, she garnered attention for publicly appealing to cartels to stop targeting civilians after a series of carjackings and vehicle burnings. She stated that Tijuana would remain open and would take care of its citizens. Caballero urged the cartels to settle their debts with those who owed them, rather than innocent families and hard-working individuals.

As Tijuana's violence problem persists, it becomes clear that no.