Jalisco Prosecutor's Office investigates disappearance of 6 youths in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara; possible organized crime recruitment is being investigated

Authorities in Jalisco are investigating the disappearances of six young people who vanished in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara shortly before or after attending their school graduation ceremonies between June 25 and June 30. The Jalisco State Prosecutor's Office is pursuing a primary line of investigation that points to possible recruitment by organized crime.

National alerts have been issued for the missing youths, and collaboration has been requested from the prosecutor's offices in Colima and Michoacán to aid in their location. On June 25, Flor Yoselin Espinoza Contreras, 18; José Israel Ramos Mejía, 17; and Elvira Monserrat Guzmán Mascorro, 14, disappeared in Puerto Vallarta while waiting for transportation to their graduation. Although they contacted their families to say they were fine and would not return, authorities suspect forced recruitment due to investigative findings.

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Although they contacted their families indicating that they were well and that they would not return, authorities rule out that it is their own decision because the indications from the investigation point towards forced recruitment.

Meanwhile, on June 30 in Guadalajara, Justhin Enrique Torres Sandoval, 15; Jórdan Isaac García López, 14; and Christopher Alfredo Sandoval Muñoz, 14, disappeared after attending their graduation at Secundaria Técnica 113. According to the state prosecutor's office, these three adolescents mentioned to a classmate that they would be taken to work in the mountains for three months. Later, the mother of one of the boys received a message asking her to pray for them.

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the three adolescents told a classmate that they would be taken to work in the sierra for three months and later the mother of one received a message asking her to pray for them.