The General Prosecutor's Office of the State of Mexico arrested Juan ‘N’, a union leader, during the second phase of Operation Caudal targeting illegal water theft in the eastern region. The detention took place in Nezahualcóyotl and included two other suspects. The operation aims to dismantle networks using unions as fronts for clandestine water extraction and sale.
Operation Caudal, led by the General Prosecutor's Office of the State of Mexico (FGJEM), marks a major push to fight water theft in municipalities such as Nezahualcóyotl and Chimalhuacán. This criminal scheme involves clandestine extraction through wells, irregular taps, and interventions in official networks, followed by illegal distribution and sale via tanker trucks, which disrupts supply in vulnerable neighborhoods and creates a parallel water market in areas prone to shortages.
Juan ‘N’, head of the International Federation of Salaried Workers of Mexico (FITTAM) and spokesperson for Unions United for the Transformation of Mexico (SUTMEX), was arrested in Nezahualcóyotl. During the capture, authorities seized firearms, cartridges, magazines, and bags containing a substance resembling marijuana. He also faced an arrest warrant for extortion and was brought before a judge.
Accompanying him in custody were Guillermo ‘N’ and Christian Jesús ‘N’, alias ‘Gimy’ or ‘Jimmy’, charged with siphoning hydraulic infrastructure and illicit water distribution. The FGJEM has pinpointed over 50 wells and 138 clandestine taps in the operation. These networks, shielded by unions and trucker groups, engage in extortion, dispossession, small-scale drug trafficking, and threats against those refusing to join or pay fees.
Officials note that these groups have staged protests and blockades to undermine the operation, portraying themselves as legitimate labor organizations.