A 15-year-old Mexican boy was involved in a drug cartel and died together with his drug lord uncle during a military operation

Chuchito Nini, a 15-year-old Mexican boy, was wearing tactical gear and holding a gun for photos. Related photos were circulated on social platforms. He was accused of being involved in the "Los Reyes Drug Cartel."

A 15-year-old boy in Mexico was accused of becoming a "hit man" for drug cartels, serving as a bodyguard for the drug lord's uncle, and was also suspected of recruiting other minors. He died together with his uncle during a military operation in the western state of Michoacán on August 30. Photos during his lifetime also revealed that he changed from a teenager wearing a football jersey playing football to a militant armed with a rifle and wearing tactical equipment.

The New York Post reported that the boy’s name was Alberto “Chuchito Nini” Sandoval, who was reported to be the nephew and personal bodyguard of 39-year-old drug lord Luis “El R-5” Barragán. Barragan is the leader of the "Cartel de Los Reyes" (Cartel de Los Reyes), and the U.S. government has offered a reward of $3 million to hunt him down.

Barragan was listed as a wanted target in drug and firearms cases by the United States, and the U.S. government offered a reward of up to $3 million for assistance in his arrest. The Mexican military announced on September 1 that after receiving intelligence, the military police launched an arrest operation at the Rodeo del Pinal farm near Tocumbo, Michoacan state.

The New York Post quoted Michoacán prosecutors as saying that in addition to serving as his uncle's personal bodyguard, Chuchito Nini was also accused of leading a hit squad and using social platforms to recruit other minors. Mexican media also reported that photos of him holding guns and wearing tactical gear appeared on his social account.

Early photos showed that he was wearing a Chivas de Guadalajara football jersey, holding a football, and participating in an amateur football team; later photos showed him wearing tactical clothing and carrying an assault rifle, and he also left multiple armed photos on his social account.

The official statement released by the Mexican Ministry of Defense was relatively brief. It only stated that the military was shot during the operation to arrest Barragan, and then fired back. Barragan and an accompanying person were killed. Two automatic rifles, ammunition and magazines were seized at the scene.