Mexico seizes 165 kg of cocaine, arrests 11 at Tijuana airport

On 10 July 2026, federal security forces intercepted a commercial flight from Guadalajara at the International Airport Abelardo L. Rodríguez in Tijuana, Baja California. Inspectors found 165 kilograms of cocaine concealed in 11 backpacks, packaged in rectangular parcels. The operation, coordinated by the Fiscalía General de la República’s Agencia de Investigación Criminal, the Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana, the Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional and the Guardia Nacional, led to the detention of eleven passengers – four men and seven women – who were placed before the public prosecutor.

Authorities reported the seizure’s street‑value at roughly US$1.8 million and seized three light‑cargo vehicles and encrypted radio equipment used for the shipment. The cargo and the detainees were turned over to the Ministry of Public Prosecution for further investigation. The raid is part of a broader “reinforcement” campaign aimed at curbing drug transit through the Mexico‑U.S. border, especially via major air terminals such as Tijuana.