Torreón businessman and 17 others detained after armed convoy at Costco

A coordinated security operation at a Costco in Torreón, Coahuila, resulted in the arrest of 18 individuals. The intervention was triggered by 911 emergency calls reporting an armed group arriving in a convoy at the shopping center.

Among those detained is businessman Carlos Ernesto H. R., known as “El Güino,” the owner of Comercializadora de Productos Lácteos de la Laguna (Coprolac). Authorities have linked him to a major fraud involving the former state agency Segalmex during the administration of Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Investigations suggest Coprolac was a beneficiary of irregular contracts involving hundreds of millions of pesos intended for milk powder production.

Torreón Mayor Miguel Riquelme Solís confirmed that the detainees face preliminary charges of bribery (cohecho) and violence against law enforcement officers. During the operation, which involved the Mexican Army, National Guard, and state police, authorities also seized firearms and vehicles. The detainees and the seized items have been placed at the disposal of the Public Ministry and the State Attorney General's Office for further investigation.