Cartel Gunmen Throw Grenade near Cancun Apartment Complex as Turf Wars Escalate

Grenade attacks and shootouts on packed hotel beaches continue to plague the beach hotspot of Cancun as rival cartels fight for control of the local drug trade.

This week, a group of gunmen threw a grenade at the entrance of a luxurious apartment complex called “Koa Towers Cancun.” However, the device did not explode, Noticaribe.mx reported. The attack took place in the gate area of a section of the complex where they were building a second set of condominiums aimed at beachgoers and tourists.

Authorities described the explosive as a fragmentation grenade that did not explode. While no injuries were reported, the grenade attack caused widespread commotion as authorities had to seal off the area and get military forces to dispose of the grenade.

The grenade attack comes just days after authorities arrested four cartel gunmen who have been tied to several shootouts, including one at a beach hotel where they killed a 12-year-old boy by accident, Noticaribe.mx reported.

According to information released by the Quintana Roo Attorney General’s Office, Julio Cesar “La Bomba” N was with two of his gunmen when authorities arrested him in possession of various street-level doses of drugs. La Bomba has an ongoing turf war with another local dealer named Bryan Jair “El Frijol” N.

The two engaged in a shootout last week inside a city bus, where they injured an innocent bystander. Last week, El Frijol and two other men are believed to have attacked La Bomba and other rival distributors at the beachfront of the Riu hotel. For that attack, the gunmen used jetskis to pull up to the beachfront and began shooting.

During the short shootout, the gunmen struck a 12-year-old boy who was visiting the beach with his parents.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..