Mexican Navy Seizes Explosives and Weapons from ‘Los Chapitos’ Gangs in Sinaloa

The Mexican Navy (Semar) conducted operations in the southern part of Sinaloa, detaining three suspected members of the “Los Chapitos” faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, including two adolescents aged 16 and 17. In Concordia’s Las Iguanas area, naval forces recovered about 20 kg of a presumed explosive compound, which was neutralized on site. In Mazatlán’s El Quelite, marines were attacked by armed civilians, repelled the assault and seized three long‑guns, 12 magazines, 342 cartridges, three tactical vests and six ballistic plates, as well as two improvised explosive devices that were also neutralized.

The operations also led to the rescue of a 53‑year‑old man who had been held captive by alleged organized‑crime members. The seized material and arrests are part of a broader federal effort to curb the growing use of explosives, improvised weapons and drug‑trafficking activities by criminal groups in the region.