A brutal drug cartel is compelling fresh members to consume human flesh and carry out decapitations at its notorious “terror schools”.
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) has rapidly grown its presence in Mexico, particularly in the western regions. Known for its extreme violence, the cartel has engaged in various ruthless acts to instill fear in its adversaries. Notable incidents include downing an army helicopter using a rocket-propelled grenade, executing numerous state officials, and displaying the bodies of victims on bridges as a warning. CJNG recruits undergo training in secluded rural areas, where they are taught combat techniques and firearm usage.
During a span of three to four months, recruits transition into cannibalism. A former recruit, speaking anonymously to DailyBeast.com, disclosed the initiation process involving cutting off victims’ fingers and toes, a preferred torture method of the cartel. Recruits are then compelled to choose a body part to consume in front of their superiors, under threat of punishment if they resist or show revulsion.
Once loyalty is proven, members progress to learning how to dismember entire bodies. One individual, known only as Francisco, recounted being deceived into joining a CJNG training camp in Guadalajara, where he was coerced into mutilating and consuming a corpse after witnessing an execution. Survivors of these camps have reported instances where recruits were instructed to carry out gruesome acts like decapitation and forced cannibalism.
Footage surfaced last year showing CJNG members extracting the hearts of rivals and consuming them, further illustrating the cartel’s brutality. These tactics not only desensitize new recruits but also instill fear in local communities, consolidating the cartel’s control over the drug trade.
In a recent incident during the pandemic, three individuals, including a pregnant woman, were found severely injured with their hands severed after being accused of theft by CJNG. Their mutilated bodies were discovered in Guanajuato, accompanied by a warning message indicating the consequences of criminal activities.
To evade detection, the cartel resorts to dissolving victims in acid baths. In a high-profile case from 2018, Mexican rapper Christian Palma Gutiérrez confessed to disposing of the bodies of three missing film students for CJNG by dissolving them in acid, mistaking them for rival gang members. He received payment from the cartel for his role in the crime.