Mexican security forces conduct operations against kidnapping and smuggling

Security forces in Mexico have conducted several operations targeting organized crime, kidnapping, and migrant smuggling. In Ciudad Juárez, the Municipal Public Security Secretariat (SSPM) reported the arrest of 15 suspects and the rescue of 18 victims over a three-month period. These operations included the rescue of Ecuadorian nationals and migrants from Central America.

In Mexicali, authorities arrested three individuals, including an 18-year-old known as ‘El Karlitos’ linked to the ‘Los Rusos’ group. The suspects were caught during a drug and weapons exchange, possessing a .40 caliber rifle, methamphetamine, and marijuana. Additionally, Mexicali police rescued two migrants from Oaxaca who had been held captive in a hotel after a dispute over smuggling fees.

In the Tijuana-San Diego border region, the Mexican Army’s ‘Águila Alta’ operation successfully neutralized four drones used by criminal groups to monitor migrant routes. While the drones carried no explosives, they were used for surveillance. The operation involves 800 military personnel and is being conducted in coordination with United States authorities.