3 die as Mexican security forces conduct raids in Tamaulipas

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

Three unidentified armed suspects were killed in an apparent intergang gunfight in Ciudad Mier municipality, as Mexican security forces in the form of Mexican Army and naval infantry units seized weapons munitions and drugs in several encounters and raids in northern Tamaulipas municipalities over the weekend, according to official Mexican news accounts.

According to a news release posted on the state government's website, a Policia Militar unit had been dispatched Friday at around 0300 hrs to a location near a funeral home near the intersection of Libramiento 5 de Junio and  Bulevar El Huizache, in Mezquital colony on the basis pf an anonymous citizen's complaint, where the military unit found two armed suspects killed by gunfire.  A third body was found inside the funeral home five hours later.

Mexican naval infantry units conducted several raids and engaged in a brief firefight with armed suspects in northern Tamaulipas municipalities.

In Reynosa Sunday night a marine unit was dispatched via a citizen's complaint to Las Seybas colony where marines found a tunnel with two vehicles parked inside.  The tunnel itself was 60 meters long, by six meters wide by three meters high.  Vehicles found inside include one Ford Super Duty pickup truck and one Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck.  Marines also found 11 weapons magazines for rifles, 1,121 rounds of ammunition and three radios.

In Rio Bravo municipality marines seized a number of contraband including  11 rifles, one pistol, one grenade launcher, 293 weapons magazines, 1,167 rounds of ammunition, two grenades and packages of marijuana cocaine and crystal methamphetamine.    One Toyota Tacoma and one Ford Lobo (F-150) pickup truck along with military uniforms and four radios were seized at the location as well.

Also on Sunday at night, between San Fernando and Matamoros municipalities, a  marine unit exchanged gunfire with armed suspects, forcing the suspects to abandon their vehicles and flee the scene.

According to the government's account, armed suspects were traveling aboard two vans when the occupants opened fire on the marine road patrol.

Earlier in the day closer to Matamoros, a marine road patrol conducted a traffic stop, detaining one suspect who was driving a pickup truck.

The detainee was identified as Sergio Alejandro Lopez Muñoz, reportedly a member of an unidentified criminal group.  Inside the truck marines also found one AR-15 rifle, one weapons magazine, 300 rounds of ammunition and one kilogram of marijuana.

Meanwhile, Mexican Army units conducted three raids in Reynosa and Cruillas municipalities netting 14 suspects and a number of contraband.

In Reynosa municipality a Mexican Army unit was dispatched to a residencein Rancho Grande colony because a citizen filed a complaint about armed suspects in the area.

Soldiers detained nine unidentified suspects total including six Mexican nationals, two from Guatemala and one from Nicaragua.  Contraband seized included two rifles, three pistols, 151 weapons magazines, 694 rounds of ammunition and two vehicles.

A second Mexican Army road patrol stopped a vehicles and detained three unidentified suspects.  The government report said the suspects were in then area working a lookouts for  a local criminal group.   Soldiers seized two radios.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com and BorderlandBeat.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com