GROK:
On September 24, 2025, Mexican authorities, with critical intelligence support from the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence's National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), arrested Martha Alicia Méndez Aguilar, a 42-year-old senior operative in the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), known by her alias "La Diabla" (The She-Devil). The capture took place in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, as part of a joint U.S.-Mexican operation targeting a horrific infant trafficking network.Details of the Alleged Crimes
- Operation of the Ring: "La Diabla" is accused of leading a CJNG-affiliated network that preyed on vulnerable pregnant women, primarily from rural areas in northern Mexico. Traffickers lured these women to remote locations under false pretenses of medical care or job opportunities.
- Gruesome Methods: Once isolated, the women underwent forced, illegal cesarean sections performed by unqualified cartel operatives. These procedures resulted in the mothers' deaths, after which their organs were allegedly harvested and sold on the black market. The newborns were then trafficked across the U.S.-Mexico border and sold to adoptive couples in the United States for up to 250,000 Mexican pesos (approximately $14,000 USD) each.
- Scale and Impact: The network is believed to have facilitated the sale of dozens of infants over several years, generating significant revenue for the CJNG to fund its broader drug trafficking and violent operations. This case exemplifies how cartels are diversifying into "human capital" crimes, blending trafficking with organ harvesting to exploit economic desperation.
Broader Context and U.S. Involvement
- Intelligence Role: NCTC provided location data and network analysis on "La Diabla," enabling Mexican law enforcement to execute the raid without casualties. NCTC Director Joe Kent described it as a strike against "terrorist cartels" expanding revenue streams.
- Policy Ties: The arrest aligns with escalated U.S. efforts under the Trump administration to classify Mexican cartels like CJNG as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). Since February 2025, over 21,000 cartel affiliates have been added to U.S. terrorist watchlists, leading to 6,525 entry denials. This operation underscores the application of counterterrorism tools to human trafficking.
- Ongoing Investigation: "La Diabla" faces charges in Mexico for human trafficking, organized crime, and homicide. U.S. authorities may seek extradition if links to cross-border sales are confirmed. The probe continues, with potential disruptions to related CJNG cells.
This case highlights the brutal evolution of cartel activities amid U.S.-Mexico cooperation. For more on similar operations, recent designations of cartels as FTOs have accelerated such takedowns. Note: A separate individual using the alias "La Diabla" (Leudis Isaac Corro Camacho) was arrested in Europe in 2021 for adult sex trafficking, but this is unrelated to the current Mexican case.