SUMMARY

The conflict between La Unión de Tepito and Fuerza Anti Unión was characterized by extortions and struggles for control over territory. The two cartels were Mexico City's biggest criminal organizations, dedicated to a turf war between themselves. La Union Tepito and the Anti-Union Force have been battling for control of the extortion and drug trafficking businesses in the Mexican capital since 2018, the first year for which the UCDP recorded an active conflict involving the Anti Unión. The turf war unleashed a wave of violence in the city. La Unión Tepito started aggressively expanding its criminal operations in 2019, including a sharp increase in extortion. Its dominance has been contested by Fuerza Anti Unión, with killings continuing without decline. One notorious incident between the two groups took place in September 2018, when gunmen opened fire on a crowded square near the city center, killing six people and wounding several others in a settling of scores between the rival gangs. In addition, during a two-week period in May 2019 at least a dozen members of La Unión Tepito were murdered. The groups have struggled with control over territory, sale and distribution of drugs, extortion and control over the sale of counterfeit goods. Executions attributed to this conflict were often motivated by revenge or settling of accounts. Police and other authorities being linked to organized crime was also common, entire police forces have regularly been arrested or suspended for this precise reason. The non-state conflict between La Unión de Tepito and La Fuerza Anti Unión was first included in UCDP data in 2018. In August of that year, fighting between the two cartels had resulted in more than 25 battle-related deaths.