“El Pepón” charged with weapons and drug possession, faces pretrial detention

Erick Adrián López Lara, alias “El Pepón,” has been formally charged and ordered into pretrial detention for his alleged involvement in possessing illegal firearms and narcotics. A judge in Ensenada, Baja California, ruled that López Lara will remain incarcerated at the local Social Readaptation Center (CERESO) while the investigation proceeds.

The prosecution has been granted four months to finalize its investigation into the charges. These include possession of firearms and ammunition intended exclusively for military use, as well as possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and altering identification marks on a vehicle.

During López Lara's arrest in the Maneadero Parte Alta neighborhood, state security forces confiscated four long firearms, one handgun, 13 magazines, 59 rounds of ammunition, a radio, five kilograms of methamphetamine, a small amount of marijuana, a scale, two vests, and six ballistic plates. The case is being handled by the Federal Prosecutor's Office in Baja California.