Family members of five Fugitivo band members, ranging in age from 20 to 40, were subjected to ransom threats subsequent to their kidnapping.
According to the Diario de Mexico, the bodies of the five musicians were found after they went missing on Sunday, with nine individuals apprehended in connection to their disappearance and murder.
Authorities have identified the suspects as members of the “Los Metros” faction of the Gulf Cartel, which operates in Reynosa, Tamaulipas—near the United States border.
Tamaulipas Attorney General Irving Barrios announced at a press conference that law enforcement had nine people in custody, all of whom are implicated in the Gulf Cartel’s criminal activities.
Tamaulipas is notorious as one of Mexico’s most hazardous states due to the activities of drug trafficking cartels and other criminal organizations.
The proclamation of the arrests came shortly after the confirmation of the discovery of five bodies during the search for the missing members of Fugitivo.
The musicians were slated to perform at a concert on Sunday but found that the intended venue was an empty lot, according to family members who held a protest demanding action from the authorities.
Relatives of the musicians had also reported extortion attempts made to secure their release.
Prevailing cartel violence has previously resulted in attacks on musicians, who sometimes receive compensation for composing and performing songs celebrating the criminal lifestyles of gang leaders.
Investigators utilized surveillance footage and mobile phone tracking to determine the last known activities of the musicians, Barrios stated.
During the operation, nine firearms and two vehicles were seized.
More than 480,000 individuals have lost their lives in drug-related violence and organized crime in Mexico, with approximately 120,000 people reported missing.
