From October 2024 to March 23, 2025, Mexican authorities arrested 15,887 people for high-impact crimes and seized 134.7 tons of drugs, including 2,059,892 fentanyl pills (1,347 kilos), 8,222 firearms, and 644 laboratories.
This was reported during the morning conference of President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo by the Minister of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, representing the Security Cabinet, while presenting the progress made by Mexico’s National Security Strategy.
The official explained that among the advances in security matters, the impact of these actions on the incidence of crime stands out, with the arrest of José Francisco “N”, alias “Alfa 1”, as an example. Since his arrest, there has been a decrease in the daily average of homicides in the state of Guanajuato, which went from 12.7 to 7, representing a reduction of almost 45%.
He pointed out that in order to combat drug production, 644 clandestine laboratories and methamphetamine production sites have been dismantled in 17 states across the country.
These actions have resulted in the seizure of 896,229 liters and 216,208 kilos of chemical substances, 504 organic synthesis reactors, 322 condensers and 124 distillers.
Among the relevant cases carried out by the Security Cabinet, it is worth noting that off the coast of Baja California Sur, teams from the Ministry of the Navy seized 4.5 tons of cocaine and arrested four people, one of them a foreign national. This brings the total amount of cocaine seized on the high seas to 31 thousand kilos.
In Jalisco, the Ministry of National Defense arrested four people in possession of two rocket launchers, two bazookas, five machine guns, five .50-caliber Barrett rifles, 34 long weapons, 16 grenades, eight handguns, 1,000 magazines, 80 kilos of cocaine, 51 million pesos, and 40 vehicles.
In Ixtlán del Río, Nayarit, Jonathan “N” has been arrested. He is the boss of a crime organization operating in of the area of Tepic, Jala and Ixtlán del Río. During his arrest, they also seized a long weapon, a short weapon, 396 live ammunition, magazines, and 1,500 fentanyl pills.
In the municipality of Teocelo, Veracruz, Francisco Javier “N” was arrested, whohas been linked to various crimes such as conspiracy to commit organized crime and trafficking of foreigners. He is considered a priority target and one of the FBI’s 10 most wanted fugitives; he worked for a criminal organization operating in Mexico, the United States and El Salvador.
In six simultaneous operations carried out in the states of Querétaro, Guanajuato and Yucatán, nine people were arrested as members of a criminal cell linked to a group dedicated to kidnapping, hydrocarbon theft, drug dealing, armed attacks and homicides.
Among those detained is José Francisco “N”, leader of the cell and responsible for the attack on the “Los Cantaritos” bar in Querétaro, where 10 people lost their lives. He was also in charge of ordering attacks on rival groups and the authorities.
José Remedios “N” has also been arrested. He was the leader of a criminal cell of hit men, identified by the National Intelligence Center as one of the main generators of violence in the Guanajuato and Querétaro region.
Furthermore, since February 5, when “Operation Northern Border” was launched by President Claudia Sheinbaum, 1,748 people have been arrested and 1,562 firearms seized, in addition to 233,212 cartridges of various calibres, 7,884 magazines, 1,431 vehicles, 195 properties and 23,346 kilos of drugs, including 129.2 kilos of fentanyl and 952,695 pills of the drug.
Among these arrests, Harfuch pointed out that the seizure of 712 kilos of methamphetamine in San Fernando, Tamaulipas, and the seizure of 42 kilos of fentanyl and 7 kilos of heroin in Tecate, Baja California stand out.
On the other hand, as a result of the reinforcement of security in the state of Sinaloa, from October 1, 2024 to March 23, 2025, 1,080 people have been arrested, and 1,489 firearms and 51,970 kilos of drugs have been seized, including 1,118 kilos and 1,033,720 pills of fentanyl, in addition to 68 laboratories.
Among the actions carried out in this state, the arrest of two people with 102 kilos of methamphetamine in Culiacán stands out. Also in Culiacán, two people were arrested with 2 kilos of methamphetamine and weapons, including a US citizen who has an arrest warrant in Arizona.
In the same municipality, as a result of ongoing investigations, searches were carried out in different properties where two men were arrested who were part of a criminal cell involved in the international trafficking of drugs and weapons, operating methamphetamine laboratories, as well as carrying out activities of recruitment, kidnapping, homicides and attacks on authorities and rival groups.
Likewise, the arrest of José Gregorio “N”, alias “El Lastra”, in Mexico City, responsible for recruitment for a criminal organization, which operated in Teuchitlán, Jalisco, has provided essential information that has shed more light on the events that occurred on the Izaguirre Ranch.
Following the cyber patrol actions carried out by the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection, 67 accounts have been closed on platforms that were used for recruitment.
Harfuch emphasized that, with these actions, the institutions of the Security Cabinet reaffirm their commitment to working closely together to advance the creation of peace in Mexico.
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