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Mexican prosecutors have announced the arrest of a suspect in the mysterious disappearance of five young men from Lagos de Moreno in August. The childhood friends went missing after visiting a local lookout on 11 August. Disturbing images later emerged, showing the young men bound and gagged at an abandoned building nearby. Although there has been no trace of them since, security analysts fear they may have fallen victim to a powerful crime gang operating in Jalisco state. According to Mexico's National Search Commission, over 110,000 people have been reported missing in the country since 1962. The five friends, aged between 19 and 22, had known each other since childhood. They had visited a local fair before heading to the lookout near their hometown. One of them sent a message to his family indicating they were on their way home, but when they failed to return, their families alerted the authorities. Days later, a photograph of the five men, bloodied and terrified, was posted on social media, confirmed by their parents to be authentic. A video also emerged, showing one of the five brutally attacking his friend. Experts believe that the group may have been targeted for forced recruitment by the notorious Jalisco New Generation cartel. Forced recruits often endure acts of violence, including murder, as part of their initiation. The ongoing violence between rival cartels in Jalisco has led to criminal gangs resorting to kidnapping young men to replace those killed. Authorities hope the recent arrest will provide crucial information on the case and uncover the fate of the missing men. Although burnt-out cars associated with the friends were found, the human remains discovered inside did not match their profiles. It remains uncertain to whom those remains belong. Sadly, this is not the first instance of young people falling victim to cartel violence in Jalisco. In June, eight employees from a call center operated by the same cartel also disappeared and were later found dead in a ravine.