By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat
Mexican authorities found a large workshop for the production of explosives in La Huacana, Michoacán last month, reported Milenio. Local media reports that this workshop was likely operated by the El Migueladas, a former operator of the CJNG, who now faces them in a violent dispute for control of the region.
The Workshop
The clandestine workshop was found on January 17th in the town of Zicuirán, in the municipality of La Huacana, in the Tierra Caliente region of Michoacán.
In total, Mexican authorities deactivated 311 explosive artifacts and seized 95 kilograms of explosive at the site. These could have been used to create about 1,300 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), Milenio learned from Carlos Roberto Gómez Ruiz, the director of Michoacán’s anti bomb unit, a recently formed group necessitated by Michoacán's position as an IED hotspot in Mexico.
Shrapnel made from everyday items. Photo: La Voz de Michoacán. |
Videos reviewed by Milenio showed the two-building workshop complete with a computer-controlled cutting machine, machining lathes, presses, and soldering equipment. Gómez Ruiz stated that the workshop contained the “entire production line”, from purchased explosive materials, to casing manufacturing, to final painting. This workshop was used to produce 40 mm grenades, hand grenades, drone deployed bombs, and makeshift mortars.
Photos of IEDs found at the scene show the product of the machinery - neatly milled aluminum casings, ready to be packed with explosive. Authorities also found a supply of metal scraps - nails, screws, pieces of chains - which would be loaded into IEDs for use as shrapnel.
Image from Milenio. |
Cartels are using more explosives each year
Criminal groups in Mexico have accelerated their usage of explosives in recent years. Data collected by Mexico’s Secretariat of Defense (Sedena) show that the number of grenades captured has increased steadily during the AMLO administration (see below). Unfortunately, there is no publicly available data for IEDs found in Mexico.
Grenades found each year by Sedena during AMLO administration. Created by El Huaso. |
This has been mirrored by an increase in casualties for Mexican security forces. In 2022, 16 soldiers were wounded by explosive devices. Between the start of 2023 until August, 42 soldiers were injured, and four State Police officers and one National Guard agent were killed.
Responses to the use of explosives
In response to this rising threat, in November 2023, the Mexican Congress approved reforms to Mexican criminal code which raised penalties for operating commercial drones against Mexican security forces. If this legislation passes the Senate, anyone found guilty of using them for violent ends may be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison, and anyone found purchasing or creating them may be sentenced up to 10 years.
In 2023, US Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents held a multi-day training for Mexican law enforcement, teaching their counterparts how to analyze various different IED crime scenes. The ATF agents used specific types of IEDs recently employed by Mexican criminal groups; an improvised landmine like those used by CJNG in Michoacán, and explosives with nails and screws for shrapnel like those employed by the CSRL in Guanajuato.
Sources: Milenio 2/12, Notiregion 2/12, Borderland Beat Archives, C/O Futures 5/31/23, Journal of Strategic Security - Dr Nathan P. Jones 4/12/18, Operaciones contra el Narcotráfico, Milenio 8/21/23, AP News 8/21/23, NTV Noticias 2/4/24, El Financiero 11/21/23, La Voz de Michoacán 2/12/24
1 step closer to cartels being designated as terrorist, that will pave the way for airstrikes/Navy seals.
ReplyDeleteElmo will cry...we don't need help from other countries, me country is solvriegn.
DeleteDon't come we want to continue getting bribes.
It will not be any air strikes or navy seals doing any operations in Mexico.
DeleteLmao! Another call of duty kid. That would never happen.
Delete11:18. Maybe not airstrikes but best believe their is american agents in mexican soil working
DeleteKeep dreaming the US military will never come to Mexico
Delete1249 they don't have to Mexico would get bent over financially and that would be it
Delete@6:44 maybe in thier country Mexico yes they can be labeled as terrorist but here I don’t see how that is. Last time I checked I haven’t seen one of them dudes come to here to the states or any country and do a mamada that you see is going on in the news Kansas a perfect example.
DeleteBoth sides aren’t going to do anything all they have to do is close all the borders
Delete@201 with the way the economic situation is going in the us, that may not be the case in near future. Mexico's economic growth has been on the uptick in the last few years. You never know, it may be Mexico that bends the US over financially.
DeleteI'm sure there are 50 of these labs in the USA right now.
Delete337 LOL!!!
Delete3:37 JAJAJAJA. No la chingues. What's the GDP of each country? The population?
DeleteWell Mexico was one of the only countries that did not have the covid economic crisis ... Which says slot ... Js
DeleteI think that more than CJNG being the one able to manufacture explosives is that other cartels don't want to be labeled as terrorist organizations by the U.S.
ReplyDeleteJust mortars and drone bombs but no 40mm grenades and hand grenades. Thats gob PR.
ReplyDeleteIf that don’t scare the beans out your president not sure what will.
ReplyDeleteI can't find any information on the actual explosive(s) the cartels like CJNG are using in their craft-made grenades. Cartels have been known to use basic black powder in the past, is that still what is being found? A different explosive? And if so, which one/are they synthesizing it from precursors themselves?
ReplyDeleteAnyone with more information on this (not just total speculation), would be helpful.
We will get to you with that information. Thank you Officer
Delete10:03 Our call center has been busy, our Punjabi Indians are on a break, please continue to hold. In the meantime listen to our Bollywood music.
DeleteLOL
DeleteMaybe 10:03 is an undercover cop, sniffing around, trying to pick niños' brains for priceless tidbits of inside information..
DeleteThen again, he might be a harmless reader only guilty of exhibiting intellectual curiosity..
You decide..
😼
@10:03 keep looking you ain’t gonna find the recipe unless you go to where the war is 🤣. Plus why do you care bro where is yo badge at? Sometimes it’s good to mind your bizzz
DeleteNitrating compounds into explosives is a LOT easier than say, manufacturing methamphetamine. They have no trouble producing their own high explosives
DeleteCjng are the new zetas doing terrorist shit they should focus more on trafficking like Sinaloa
ReplyDeleteNot to worry, Obradors team of lawyers will now go after the Black Powder Manufacturers in USA and Germany and China. He will sue but will lose again.
ReplyDeleteCds isn't this advanced and I'm a Sinaloa nuthugger. Free Ovideo!
ReplyDeleteYou must be a troll . So you haven't seen the guns and equipment CDS has in Zacatecas.
DeleteCDS is too busy molesting preteens
Delete1140 sure Sinaloa cartel has guns but we haven't seen any level of explosives or use of drone attacks. They're behind mijo, it's ok. I know you wank off to Chapitos. Go back to school or at least get your get, tonto.
Delete5:23 you should go a little more research mija. Operativa MZ has explosives too . Cjng was sending explosives to Zacatecas. Authorities in Zacatecas in CDS pocket . There is videos of MZ gunmen killing CJNG with their own explosives. So next time you want to play narco expert please be more informed that way you don't make a fool out of yourself
DeleteCds too worried about vapes and e cigs
Delete536 you just made an ass out of yourself by stating MZ had bombs that originated from CJNG. MZ doesn't have his own program.The dude who started the post said that CDS is behind while Jalisco is ahead and heavy on firepower/bombs. You Sinaloa dick riders believe every corrido. Stop posting because you show everyone that your stupid. I'm a dumbass because I was Team ALMO.
DeleteThe Cumbees bringing the knowledge they know to Michoacán 🤣
ReplyDeleteI bet they are also able to create guns. The Mexican people are very creative, they have been able to create synthetic drugs for many years now. If they can get equipment to create drug labs, then they can certainly get the equipment to make assault rifles, bombs and anything else that they want to.
ReplyDeleteNah. It’s easier to smuggle them in, takes less effort.
DeleteLa Huacana is one of Migueladas main plazas. This makes no sense unless he has completely lost it to Templarios or CJNG as they're both fighting against the Migueladas and Los Viagras alliance.
ReplyDeleteIn one week the government raided three locations all in that general area and found this site, another warehouse where they made rifles and another site where bullet resistant vehicles/monstruos were being assembled. This happened several weeks back, maybe a month and a half ago.
The stuff in this article belongs to Migueladas and his cartel in La Huacana. Nothing to do with CJNG in this one.
DeleteSamething happened in Zacatecas, authorities confiscated make-shift bombs from CJNG sicarios, shortly after they were circulating in CDS MZ videos.. same exact bombs 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
ReplyDeleteMexico should donate it to ukraine to fight the monster Putin
ReplyDelete2:54 PM Ukrainians are idiots. They backed a coup and the coup leaders turned their country into a warzone. They could have traded with Europe and traded with Russia and been good staying neutral. Developed their gas, oil and coal fields and used the existing infrastructure the Russians have to move their resources. Now they are just cannon fodder that are dying so Americans won't be dying. That is what was said by multiple senators and politicians in the US.
Delete3:43 is so fucking dumb he said nothing of putin just wants ukraine back as part of russia. Fuck russia fuck putin. A weak ass russia is good for the usa and the west.
Delete@648
DeleteA weak Russia? That will never happen.
Keep day dreaming "dude". The west and its allies will never be able to defeat Russia! Not with Ukraine and not will any other pawn.
SLAVA ROSSIYA!!! 🇷🇺🫡
LL PUTIN🕊
7:37
Delete"Have plan!
First keeel moose and squirrel!
..Boris Batanov
🦎
7:37
DeleteThousands of Ruskies have died, it's funny those arrested in Russia for protesting the war, were put in prison and now are trained to go fight the war with Ukraine.
3:43
DeleteYour forgetting to mentioned Russia invaded Ukraine and Ukraine is defending itself.
2:54
DeleteThe Mexican government of Obrador favors Russia more than Ukraine.
For the Mexican Indeed Parade Obrador invited a Military Group from Russia to be in the Parade and they came.
Putin gave Mexico COVID-19 shots called Spudnik, ink if Mexico used the drug.
CDSnitches are making tik toks and instagram reels , these foos are making bombs. They are not the same .
ReplyDelete4:06 actually when was the last time CJNG did one of their famous videos killing a rival like back then ? Then let's thinks again when was the last time CJNG sicarios have come out in their enemies videos getting beheaded? I don't know but seems to me that Everytime that CJNG comes out in a video they are the ones getting slaughterd
Delete4:06 what are you talking about CJNG got the best video production in the game no one makes videos like them
Deleteany cartel can pick up innocent people and behead them on video and pretend they’re contras, I think CJNG is trying to distance from the constant gore.
DeleteI thought CjNg couldnt cross to then areas?
ReplyDeleteIs that the same Migueladas that’s sending his runners to Cali to move his keyes of fetty. And police is arresting them and letting them go the same day back to Mexico?
ReplyDeleteFuck migueladas and Tena, Pura gente del monedas y flavio
ReplyDelete