GOPES Strike Back At CDG Los Metros in Tamaulipas

 “HEARST” for Borderland Beat

Following the two nights in a row in which members of the Gulf Cartel faction Los Metros shot out and destroyed video surveillance cameras, the special operations group of the State Police cracked down on organized crime in the area, leading to the seizure of tons of valuable equipment. 

Warning: Graphic images below this point. 

The Press Release 

On the night of February 24 until the night of February 26, 2022, Los Metros systematically shot out the government surveillance cameras located in the city of Reynosa and some in La Ribereña region of the state of Tamaulipas. For more details on why they took out the surveillance cameras, please see this previous Borderland Beat story. 

In response to this, law enforcement within the state allegedly went out of their way to locate, detain, and seize people or equipment related to organized crime. 

On February 26, 2022, a press release was sent out by the office of Tamaulipas’s Secretary of Public Security. It read as follows: 

February 26, 2022

Victoria City, Tamaulipas - The Secretary of Public Security of Tamaulipas announces that, as a continuation of the actions to combat and dissuade the criminal groups, without cessation, in La Ribereña region, agents of the Grupo de Operaciones Especiales (GOPES) of the State Police seized 14 vehicles -4 of them of were of the so-called “monstruos” type and several with custom armor- as well as 28 long barrel firearms, more than 4,000 bullets, almost 50 ballistic plate vests, video surveillance equipment and devices known as ponchallantas, among other objects.

There was one detainee named Obed "P", who is identified as a wanted man by the United States for the crime of homicide. This person was located in the municipality of Diaz Ordaz and handed over to the U.S. authorities.

Photos of SSP officers removing Los Metros roadblocks from a section of highway in La Ribereña region. 

As a consequence of the actions carried out by GOPES in La Ribereña region, during the course of yesterday afternoon and evening, in the municipalities of Camargo, Diaz Ordaz and Miguel Aleman, criminal groups carried out 5 road blockades with heavy vehicles, tires -several of them burned- and various objects in an attempt to impede the mobilization of the security forces. Road traffic was reestablished after midnight.

Truck burning blockade seen in Diaz Ordaz municipality, and a tire burning roadblock seen in Camargo.

Similarly, as a result of the operations, GOPES personnel were attacked by an armed group on Los Aldama Avenue in the town of Miguel Aleman. One agent was injured.

The aftermath of the Los Aldama Avenue attack, which allegedly left 4 hitmen dead according to a tweet by La Voz Del Pueblo on Twitter.

Yesterday in the Lucha Social neighborhood of the town of Miguel Aleman, GOPES agents seized a video surveillance camera, 4 long barrel firearms, vests, magazines and cartridges.

In another area, yesterday in the town of Los Comales, GOPES agents seized 24 long barrel firearms (one of which is a .50 caliber, 6 were AK47-style firearms and 17 were .223 caliber firearms), as well as 5 vehicles (3 of them so-called of the so-called “monstruos” type and two SUVs).

In that same location, 3,500 bullets of .223 caliber and 849 bullets of 7.62 caliber were seized, as well as three 40mm grenade launcher attachments. Also in that same location, 5 full tactical uniforms, 46 plate carrier vests and 56 ballistic plates. 

The official press release continues on a second page, which reads as follows: 

CONTINUING GOPES ACTIONS IN LA RIBEREÑA

In the course of the last 8 days, agents of the GOPES have carried out various actions during patrol and reconnaissance runs , with the following results:

In the town of Rancherías, in the municipality of Camargo, GOPES personnel seized two SUVs and a vehicle with monstruos-type custom armor, inside of which they found a dome-type video surveillance camera, a video camera with a base, as well as 49 telephone chips [more commonly known as SIM cards] for use in cell phones as well as ballistic equipment, among other objects.

In another operation, in a breach in the Santa Rosalía area, near the border with Nuevo León, in the municipality of Camargo, a dome type video surveillance camera was located on a tower, which was deactivated and removed. It was apparently installed in order to observe the movement of security corporations and rival criminal groups.

As part of the prevention and dissuasion patrols in La Ribereña area, GOPES agents secured a car, a handgun, magazines and cartridges, as well as 10 bags of green plant with marijuana-like characteristics in the town of Rancherías, in the municipality of Camargo. There was one detainee who, upon observing the presence of the police, fired shots in an attempt to flee.

Finally, in one of the operations, a SUV was abandoned in an unpaved road in the municipality of Diaz Ordaz, inside of which tire puncture devices were found.

GOPES is the specialized group of the State Police that develops strategic and intelligence operations used to combat individuals and criminal groups that threaten the security of Tamaulipas families.

The press release briefly mentioned the arrest of Obed "P". His prevalence in the criminal underworld and Obed’s relevance to larger cartel violence that has been occuring in Tamaulipas will be covered in an article later this week by Itzli. 

Sources: Photo of Official Statement, El Redactor, La Silla Rota, El Sol de Tampico,La Prensa de Monclova

Photo Credit: Tamaulipas RTC Post 1, Post 2, Post 3, Post 4, La Voz del Pueblo Post 1, Post 2, Post 3, Loba Indomable