Cat's Body Tattooed with 'Mexican' Mark... Act of Drug Cartel Boss

Authorities Investigating Prison Raid Incident Discover Cat Raised by Drug Cartel Executive 'El Neto'

A cat presumed to have been raised by a drug cartel leader was found in a prison in Mexico, shocking many as it had a tattoo symbolizing the drug cartel on its body.

According to AFP and other sources on the 13th (local time), authorities investigating an armed gang attack that occurred on the 1st of last month at a prison in Juarez, a border city in Chihuahua, northern Mexico, discovered a brown Sphynx cat of the 'Egyptian Mau' breed.

The cat was found wandering inside a cell, with a square-shaped tattoo on its left side. The tattoo, known as the symbol of Mexico’s notorious drug cartel ‘Los Mehiques,’ included the phrase 'made in Mexico.'

The body of a Sphynx cat, presumed to have been raised by a drug cartel leader in a Mexican prison, bears the inscription "Made in Mexico."
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The Chihuahua police suspect that this cat belonged to Ernesto Alfredo Pi??n de la Cruz, the leader of ‘Los Mehiques,’ who escaped from the prison during the attack. Known as ‘El Neto,’ he was sentenced to 224 years in prison for crimes including murder and kidnapping and had been incarcerated since 2009.

Police investigations revealed that he effectively acted as a ‘king’ inside the prison by bribing guards and mobilizing gang members to control other inmates, living a luxurious life. However, according to the British daily Daily Mail, ‘El Neto’ was killed by law enforcement after escaping on the 5th of last month.

The cat found in the cell is reported to be handed over to animal protection authorities for investigation of the attack before proceeding with adoption to find a new owner.

Meanwhile, the prison experienced a riot due to the armed gang attack on the 1st. At least 17 people, including 10 security personnel, were killed, and about 30 inmates escaped.

During the prison search investigating the attack, police also found TVs, mobile phones, weapons, and drugs in a ‘VIP area’ believed to have been used by ‘El Neto.’ Additionally, a safe containing 1,702,174 pesos (approximately 110 million KRW) was discovered at the scene.