A regional Puebla gang boss with a penchant for posting his ambitions on social media was shot and killed early Sunday in Amozoc by Navy marines.

The man, known as El Comandante 30 and Teódulo “N,” was caught red-handed by federal forces as he and seven accomplices were stealing fuel from a Pemex pipeline. A gunfight followed in which all eight were killed.

El Comandante 30 had been identified as the leader of the Los Cuijes, believed to be one of the main instigators of violence in the state.

He had declared himself a member of the the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), but that organization denied the connection.

He earned notoriety after posting intimidating videos online, threatening rival gangs and state authorities. On July 4 he used a video to announce his intention to create a statewide criminal organization to be known as the Safe Puebla Cartel (CPS).

Comandante 30 intended to gather all the state’s criminal gangs under the CPS banner and control all fuel theft, drug sales and highway robbery in Puebla.

In the videos he was surrounded by heavily armed sicarios, or hit men, wearing balaclavas.

He and Los Cuijes are suspected in the homicide of nine people in Huehuetlán el Grande on July 2 and the discovery of two dismembered corpses.

They have also been linked to the killing of six municipal police officers in Amozoc on June 15.

Source: El Universal (sp)