SABINAS HIDALGO, NUEVO LEÓN — Mexican federal security forces intercepted a massive shipment of high-caliber firearms transported from Texas, arresting three individuals on the Nuevo Laredo–Monterrey highway. The operation yielded 210 firearms—including 195 long guns and 15 handguns—along with high-capacity ammunition magazines reportedly bound for organized crime syndicates operating in Mexico.
The interdiction was carried out in the municipality of Sabinas Hidalgo by agents from the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) Attorney General’s Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC), working in coordination with the Ministry of National Defense (Defensa), the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar), the Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection (SSPC), and the National Guard.
According to details shared by Security Minister Omar García Harfuch, the operation stemmed from intelligence gathering focused on dismantling cross-border trafficking corridors used to move illicit armaments from Texas into northern Mexico.
Milestone in Bilateral Security Efforts
Minister García Harfuch highlighted that this seizure brings the total number of firearms confiscated during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration past the 30,000 mark. He emphasized that stopping the inflow of high-powered weaponry prevents them from falling into cartel hands to fuel domestic violence.
“Security is a shared responsibility between Mexico and the United States,” García Harfuch stated, stressing that curbing weapon smuggling into Mexico is as critical as stopping drug trafficking northbound.
Mirror Operations along the U.S.–Mexico Border
The seizure aligns with ongoing joint “mirror operations” conducted by Mexican and U.S. security forces along the shared border, where each nation operates within its respective territory.
As part of this coordinated effort, the U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) reported using high-energy laser technology on August 25 and 26 to neutralize three commercial drones operated by cartel networks in the Rio Grande Valley. The unmanned aerial vehicles were being utilized by traffickers to monitor law enforcement deployments on the U.S. side of the border.
Authorities from both nations reiterated their commitment to expanding intelligence sharing to dismantle cross-border smuggling networks while respecting territorial sovereignty. The three suspects arrested in Nuevo León remain in FGR custody pending formal charges for federal weapons trafficking.
Source: El Financiero
