La Diabla arrest highlights CJNG-linked baby-trafficking and organ-harvesting scheme
U.S. and Mexican authorities dismantle a network tied to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, accusing it of luring pregnant women for illegal C-sections, organ harvesting and sale of newborns to U.S. couples.
A female member of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel was arrested Sept. 2 in Juarez, across the border from El Paso, in a joint U.S.-Mexican operation targeting a baby-trafficking and organ-harvesting ring authorities said was run by a leader known as “La Diabla.” Martha Alicia Mendez Aguilar, described as a cartel veteran, faces multiple charges connected to the scheme, according to U.S. officials and Mexican authorities.
U.S. and Mexican officials said Aguilar lured impoverished, pregnant women to remote locations where illegal C-sections were performed. In many cases, the mothers died, and the ring allegedly harvested the women’s organs and sold newborns to U.S. couples for as much as 250,000 Mexican pesos, about $14,000, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Aguilar is a member of the CJNG, authorities said. The investigation illustrates how some terrorists or terrorist-linked cartels diversify revenue streams to finance operations, U.S. officials said. “This is one example of what terrorist cartels will do to diversify their revenue streams and finance operations,” said Joe Kent, director of the DNI’s National Counterterrorism Center, noting that U.S. agencies supplied critical intelligence that supported the arrest. Aguilar remains in Mexican custody as the investigation continues.
The arrest was the result of a coordinated effort between U.S. and Mexican authorities, with law enforcement officials stressing the case reflects ongoing cross-border enforcement against cartel activity. The operation complements broader U.S. actions aimed at disrupting drug-trafficking networks and associated violence along the border.
The case comes amid broader U.S. efforts to go after cartel activity along the border, including a January executive order by the White House designating cartels and transnational gangs as foreign terrorist organizations. CJNG was added to the FTO list in February, a classification that enables a wider range of enforcement tools, including sanctions, intelligence sharing and legal authorities beyond traditional criminal prosecutions.
U.S. and Mexican authorities emphasized that the focus of the investigation is to dismantle networks involved in human trafficking and illicit organ trade, particularly against vulnerable populations. Officials cautioned that Aguilar’s arrest represents a single step in a larger operation and that investigators expect to uncover additional details as the inquiry continues.
The National Counterterrorism Center has described the case as a stark reminder of how organized crime groups tied to extremist or terrorist-designated networks seek novel revenue streams to fund operations. The investigation remains active, and authorities have indicated that more information will be released as it becomes available. The information cited by CBS News and other outlets ties the DOJ and DNI-sanctioned scrutiny to real-time enforcement along the U.S.-Mexico border, underscoring the transnational nature of the alleged crimes.
