3 Drug Labs Seized in Sinaloa in Less than a Week

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

In less than a week, state and federal agents dismantled the third drug laboratory belonging to the Sinaloa Cartel and dealt another blow to the organization led by Ismael Zambada García, "El Mayo".

According to the report of the State Security Secretariat, the seizure occurred in the municipality of Cosalá, south of the capital, Culiacán, and on the border with Durango. Police officers and the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA) were patrolling in the vicinity of Mezcaltitán when they noticed strong odors of chemicals. They began land deployments, but due to the rugged terrain, they used off-road RZR- type vehicles.

After several hours of searching, the agency indicated, a drug camp was located in the middle of the vegetation. "There were dozens of drums, drums, sacks, gas tanks, reactors and various substances used for the production of synthetic drugs, apparently glass, as well as food and accessories used to spend the night," reported the Sinaloan institution.

The security officers guarded the drug laboratory and reported it to the Attorney General's Office for the corresponding investigations. Just this August 2, the Elite Group of the State Preventive Police together with members of the Sedena carried out patrol work in the vicinity of Culiacán when they were alerted about a property that gave off a strong smell of chemicals.

The uniformed men traveled to the town of Alcoyonqui. Upon arrival, the security forces observed a person on the outskirts of the indicated building, who as soon as he noticed the presence of the authorities, fled on foot and left objects in the place. “Two ice chests with white and granulated substance were found, as well as a cardboard with transparent bags containing the same product that has the characteristics of the drug known as crystal, so the product was secured to be made available to the corresponding authorities,” highlighted the Sinaloa Public Security Secretariat.

According to the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic (FGR), the Specialized District Control Judge in the Accusatory Criminal System granted a search warrant that was completed at home. Police and soldiers suspected that the house was used as a drug laboratory, due to utensils and cardboard located in the vicinity. The elements of the Federal Public Ministry came to process the scene and counted chemical precursors, in addition to half a ton of crystal.

In total, 566 kilos 607 grams, two milligrams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, two thousand 89 liters 88 milliliters of methamphetamine, 399 liters 99 milliliters of acetone, 34 liters 99 milliliters of methylamine, as well as 14 liters 99 milliliters of hydrochloric acid were seized. While in the course of recent August 3 and in a consecutive action, members of the Army and the Sinaloa police secured one more drug laboratory, also in Culiacán.

The events occurred in the 7 Gotas neighborhood when they were alerted by the intense smell of chemicals. After a deployment, improvised roofs with tarps were observed. “As they approached, they found drums, drums, gas cylinders and some sacks with chemical precursors; meters later, reactors with different capacities and other utensils were located, as well as containers with a substance with characteristics of methamphetamine, a drug known as crystal, ”reported the Sinaloan authorities.

According to the FGR report, this site seized 6,910 liters and 50 kilos of methamphetamine, 5,400 liters of acetone, 1,650 liters of toluene, 1,440 liters of 1-phenyl-2-propanone, 130 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride, and 720 liters of hydrochloric acid. In addition, gas cylinders, containers, centrifuges, reactors, fans, and scales.

Until last July 21, the Sedena reported that so far in 2021, 19 drug laboratories have been dismantled in the country.

Source: Infobae