CJNG recruitment of young people: warning about appointments at fast-food restaurants

MEXICO CITY (apro) — Authorities and civil groups have issued an alert about a new recruitment tactic used by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). This criminal organization is now summoning young people to fast-food restaurants and then subjecting them to forced recruitment , a practice that has been identified primarily in Guadalajara and its metropolitan area.

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The CJNG's strategy focuses on exploiting young people's job searches . They post fraudulent job offers on digital platforms, promising attractive salaries and simple application processes.

The modus operandi is for those interested to go to a specific meeting point, usually a fast-food establishment like Burger King or McDonald's, located in Guadalajara and its surrounding areas, according to information released by Telediario . There, a taxi service picks them up. A couple, allegedly linked to the recruitment network, is responsible for covering the cost of the trip, which marks the beginning of the disappearance and possible forced recruitment of the young people.

Raúl Servín, a member of the Guerreros Buscadores collective of Jalisco, described to Telediario :

“They meet them at a Burger King establishment, send them an Uber, and that's how they carry out the robbery… there are many Burger King restaurants, mostly in Jalisco, or McDonald's. They meet people there, and that's how they disappear.”

Changes in the CJNG Strategy: From Power Plants to Fast Food

Fast food establishments have no connection to criminal activity. They are apparently chosen by organized crime groups for their high traffic and the discretion they offer , allowing them to operate without raising suspicion. They serve as initial staging points, facilitating the extraction of victims.

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Previously, recruitment appointments were held at locations like the Guadalajara Bus Station. However, after the exposure of Rancho Izaguirre, a site where a CJNG cell operated , the criminal group modified its logistics.

The Training Process and Destination of Recruits

A conversation obtained by Milenio between a relative of a missing person and an alleged CJNG member revealed details about the training process the young men undergo. Through voice messages sent via Facebook Messenger, the recruiter indicated that the new members are taken through a process known as "the right hand." During this phase, they are held incommunicado, trained in weapons handling, and then sent to Jalisco or Michoacán , depending on the cartel's operational needs.

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They Use Digital Platforms as a Recruitment Channel

Collectives such as Guerreros Buscadores have requested that the Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB) implement urgent measures to regulate the use of digital platforms. They have reported in recent work meetings that many young people are kidnapped after responding to fake job offers posted on social media. Berencie Miramontes, of the Guerreros Buscadores collective, stated upon leaving a meeting with federal authorities:

"We ask for help with the work platforms, because that's how they're taking young people away."

University Alert and Security Recommendations

In May 2025, the University Committee for the Analysis of Disappearances of Persons at the University of Guadalajara (UdeG) issued an alert about an increase in the disappearances of young people between the ages of 15 and 19. The academic institution suggested that these figures could be related to forced recruitment by organized crime , indicating an alarming trend among the youth population.

Given this situation, authorities and groups have issued an urgent call to young people and their families to exercise extreme caution when searching for jobs on social media. They recommend verifying the authenticity of any suspicious job offers and avoiding attending interviews alone in unsafe locations.