MÉRIDA, YUCATAN — A high-profile federal law enforcement operation has exposed an alleged money laundering ring operating in Yucatán, connecting millions of pesos in public health contracts to organized crime financial networks.
According to an investigative report by Sol Yucatán, companies tied to Justo Aurelio “N”, an alleged financial operator for the criminal group “La Barredora” with links to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), secured lucrative public contracts to supply pharmaceuticals and medical equipment to the new Agustín O’Horán General Hospital in Mérida.
Federal authorities recently arrested Justo Aurelio “N” following extensive investigations by the Attorney General’s Office (FGR). The operation resulted in the seizure of over 145 million pesos ($8 million USD) in real estate, firearms, and security agency credentials, confirming that financial laundering networks had been active in the region since at least mid-2024.
Investigators allege that front companies—specifically Inmedicen S.A. de C.V.—were utilized to clean illicit capital. Intelligence reports indicate that funds transferred through legal representative Jorge Herrera from Tabasco to Mérida were funneled into political campaigns during recent election cycles. Furthermore, government operator Mario Millet Encalada, previously focused on public works, has been identified as a key associate who recently expanded into Yucatán’s public health supply chain.
The federal crackdown directly challenges long-held local narratives framing Yucatán as an isolated haven immune to organized crime. While state officials historically maintained that cartel activity was strictly a problem in other parts of Mexico, federal intelligence agencies, alongside insights from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), have increasingly targeted the state as an emerging financial hub for cartel money laundering and asset concealment.
The revelation that public health funds intended for regional hospital infrastructure were diverted to entities with cartel ties has sparked severe scrutiny regarding government oversight, procurement vetting, and political accountability in southeastern Mexico.
Source: Sol Yucatán
