Ciudad Victoria authorities dismantle suspected fuel theft center

Federal and state authorities in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, conducted a joint operation to dismantle a suspected clandestine hydrocarbon center. The operation involved agencies including SEDENA, SEMAR, SSPC, FGR, and Pemex.

Authorities secured three properties covering approximately 10,000 square meters near a strategic Pemex pipeline. Investigators found significant infrastructure, including 16 large industrial tanks with a combined capacity of up to 1.28 million liters, as well as various tankers, trucks, and vehicles. The seized equipment is valued at millions of pesos.

A primary line of investigation is the possible construction of a tunnel designed to reach the underground pipeline to illegally extract fuel. The operation also involved the seizure of 348,000 liters of oil and several vehicles linked to Activ Ambiental, a regional company specializing in the transport of hazardous industrial waste. Authorities are conducting forensic chemical analysis to determine if the substances seized are legal products or stolen fuel disguised as lubricants.