Suspects Arrested Over Mexico Murder of Two Children

MEXICO, 25th March 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Two men have been arrested in connection with the murder of two children in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, authorities announced on Monday. The brothers, Gael and Alexander Sarmiento, aged 12 and 9, were tragically killed alongside their father in January, after they were caught in the crossfire during a shootout in the capital city, Culiacan.

The arrested suspects, identified as Juan Carlos “N” and Jesse Kevin “N,” are accused of a range of crimes, including kidnapping, drug trafficking, and arms smuggling. According to a joint statement from the National Guard, Ministry of Defence, Navy, Security Ministries, and the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, the investigation revealed that Juan Carlos was directly involved in an attack on a family travelling in a vehicle, which resulted in the deaths of the two young brothers.

Culiacan has been engulfed in violence since September due to a violent conflict between two factions of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organisations, which has been labelled by the United States as a foreign terrorist entity.

The murder of the two children sparked widespread outrage among Culiacan’s residents, who organised mass marches in January to demand justice.

The arrests followed raids on three properties, where authorities seized 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of cocaine, crystal meth, 10 firearms with ammunition, and six vehicles. Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch shared the information on social media, stating that the operations were a part of efforts to strengthen security in the region.

“This is a result of the strengthening of security in Sinaloa,” Harfuch wrote.

Since the government declared war on drug cartels in 2006, more than 124,000 people have been reported as missing in Mexico, with approximately 480,000 murdered in that period. The country continues to grapple with widespread violence linked to organised crime, further destabilising regions already affected by cartel warfare.