CAMPECHE, Mexico – Federal and military security forces have apprehended Noemí “N,” known by the alias “La Patrona,” in the state of Campeche. Authorities identify her as a primary figure in the violence plaguing the region of Jalpa de Méndez, Tabasco, where she allegedly led a criminal cell involved in drug trafficking, extortion, homicide, kidnapping, vehicle theft, and illegal arms possession.
Noemí “N” was captured in Ciudad del Carmen after a series of intelligence and investigation operations aimed at dismantling organized crime groups. The operation involved a joint effort between the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA), the National Guard (GN), the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), and the General Prosecutor’s Office of the State of Tabasco (FGET), who executed a warrant for her arrest on charges of criminal association.
Investigations revealed that while her operations were centered in the Jalpa de Méndez region, Noemí “N” had been using Ciudad del Carmen as a hideout to coordinate the criminal activities.
The arrest comes amid escalating tensions in Jalpa de Méndez. On February 4, the municipal mayor, José del Carmen Olán, acknowledged a violent dispute between rival criminal groups for control of the municipality. This admission followed a mass homicide that left five people dead in the village of Ayapa.
During an interview with XEVT, Mayor Olán confirmed the presence of competing factions vying for dominance: “We don’t deny it, do we? That there are towns with that kind of dispute,” he stated. He urged residents to maintain their trust in the authorities, assuring them that the local government is working with federal support and the presence of the Interinstitutional Tactical Reaction Force (FIRT Olmeca).
The violence in Jalpa de Méndez has seen a significant spike in 2025. According to the National Citizen Observatory, the municipality recorded 29 cases of intentional homicide this year, compared to only 16 in 2024—an 81.25% increase in a single year. Furthermore, reports of petty drug dealing rose by 300%, jumping from four cases in 2024 to 16 in 2025.
Between January and May 2026, the State Prosecutor’s Office initiated 234 investigations into intentional homicides in Tabasco. Of these, 106 arrest warrants were issued, with 61 executed, resulting in 62 formal indictments. The office also reported 21 sentences for intentional homicide, with prison terms ranging from 20 to 50 years.
Additionally, authorities reported the dismantling of six criminal groups across various municipalities, presuntely linked to homicides and extortion. These actions led to 44 arrest warrants, 47 detentions, and the resolution of 18 homicides.
The targeted municipalities included Jalpa de Méndez, Teapa, Macuspana, and Jonuta. During these operations, security forces seized weapons, narcotics, and vehicles. Since May 2025, Jalpa de Méndez has been part of the “Single Police Command” (Mando Único Policial) scheme, a pact between the Tabasco Government and 16 municipalities to centralize security, information sharing, and surveillance.
