Nayarit Dismantles Price-Fixing Gangs Through Extortion; Arrests Announced

Organized crime groups that manipulated prices of essential goods through extortion and illegal fees have been dismantled in Nayarit, Mexico. The state prosecutor's office announced the arrests of individuals involved in these operations, which had significantly inflated the cost of products like eggs and beer for consumers.

According to State Prosecutor Ludmila Heredia Verdugo, these criminal cells operated in municipalities including Xalisco, Compostela, and Bahía de Banderas. They imposed a de facto 'tax' of up to 10% on the profits of egg distributors and sellers. This practice led to prices doubling, with consumers in some areas paying 40 pesos for eggs that should have cost around 20 pesos. Heredia Verdugo confirmed that extortion related to eggs has been eradicated in these municipalities, and those responsible are now detained.

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You can now say that instead of buying eggs for 40 pesos, you are buying them for 20 pesos, and those responsible are detained.

Similar operations targeted groups monopolizing beer distribution in Santa María del Oro. Merchants were allegedly forced to purchase beer from a single source, with threats of violence if they refused. The prosecutor indicated that these individuals have been apprehended, allowing merchants to freely choose their suppliers. Additionally, arrests were made concerning individuals who had been charging illegal fees, known as 'derecho de piso,' to vendors on the popular Rincón de Guayabitos beach for years, restoring a sense of security to local businesses.

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They were forced (merchants) to buy it (beer) from one person, and if they didn't, they were threatened.