Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – What began as a straightforward job offer on social media quickly turned into a harrowing ordeal for three men from Colima who say they were lured to Puerto Vallarta under false pretenses and ended up in what they describe as a “hitman school” operated by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Drawn in by the promise of weekly pay ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 pesos, no work experience required, and the sole condition of “knowing how to obey orders,” the three men—identified here as Juan 1, Juan 2, and Juan 3—shared their testimonies as part of an official investigation (file number DESAP/3035/2017/AG04). For security reasons, their real names are being withheld, but their stories reveal the CJNG’s recruiting strategies and the scope of its operations.
A Deceptive Job Offer
According to the investigation, the opportunity to work in Puerto Vallarta first surfaced on Facebook. A young student at the Technological University of Manzanillo came across a supposed job opening for day laborers, promising weekly pay and free room and board. The student persuaded a friend to join him, and the friend’s stepfather, worried for his safety, decided to travel with them in hopes of earning some money too.
“I was told the job was carrying things or loading trucks,” said Juan 1. “They said no experience was required, just that you obey orders. They also said they would cover our return ticket. It seemed legitimate.”
However, the three men claim they arrived at the Puerto Vallarta bus station in the early hours, only to be handed over to individuals affiliated with the CJNG. They describe being taken to a house where they slept on the floor alongside more than a dozen other men. They quickly learned the house had strict rules: No stealing, no drug use, and no fighting with fellow recruits. Locked rooms were off-limits.
Shocking Revelations
After several days of uncertainty about the nature of their work, the men questioned their handlers. That, they say, is when the real purpose of the job became clear.
“He told us it was for self-defense and weapons training,” Juan 1 recalled. “He said we would work as gunmen for a cartel, without mentioning which one. He warned us the only way out was ‘feet first, dead.’ It was obvious we’d been recruited for a hitman group.”
The other recruits came from different parts of Mexico, including Jalisco, Mexico City, and Michoacán. Some, according to the men, admitted they had criminal backgrounds or were using drugs, but for most, it was the false promise of legitimate work that drew them in.
Living in Fear
Juan 2, who says he was enticed by the prospect of earning 4,000 pesos per week, initially dismissed his mother’s fears about traveling to Jalisco. Once at the safe house, however, he realized the danger.
“We saw 16 or 17 men sleeping on the floor,” Juan 2 said. “They told us to hand over our cell phones and follow the rules: no drugs, no stealing from each other, and no entering locked rooms. We’d wait there until 30 people were recruited, then undergo a month-long ‘militarized course.’”
He was told that during training, they would be confined to the house—nobody could leave, and anyone who tried would have to “pay” or face dire consequences. The men were then warned they would be working directly for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
The Reluctant Recruit
Juan 3, a bricklayer from Manzanillo, recounted how he tried to dissuade a younger family member from taking the suspicious job offer. Ultimately, he decided to accompany him out of concern. Upon arriving at the house:
“They gave us the same rules: no drugs, no rudeness, no stealing, and don’t go upstairs,” he said. “They told us we’d get 4,000 pesos a week during training, and later maybe a raise. But we couldn’t leave the group because anyone who did would be killed. The only exit was ‘feet first.’”
Like the others, Juan 3 realized most of the recruits were there under false pretenses. Some believed they were going to work at a tequila factory, while others thought they would guard a ranch or handle transport duties.
Rescue and Investigation
All three men were rescued on October 10, following an investigation into the disappearance of another individual who was being held in the same house. Authorities linked their stories to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which has gained notoriety as one of the most powerful and ruthless criminal organizations in Mexico.
The testimonies provided by Juan 1, Juan 2, and Juan 3 shed light on the CJNG’s recruitment methods: luring individuals—often unemployed or seeking higher wages—with promises of legitimate work, then coercing them into criminal activities. Their experiences highlight the broader risks facing job seekers in regions of Mexico where organized crime remains entrenched.
As the legal process continues, the men’s accounts have become key evidence in investigations aimed at dismantling the CJNG’s recruitment networks. Authorities urge anyone encountering similar suspicious job offers to report them, noting that many such ads circulate on social media platforms and target vulnerable individuals seeking better economic opportunities.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - What began as a straightforward job offer on social media quickly turned into a harrowing ordeal for three men from Colima . . .
