logo
#

Latest news with #OmarGarcíaHarfuch

Mexican fuel theft gang dismantled in major operation
Mexican fuel theft gang dismantled in major operation

Yahoo

time2 days ago

  • Yahoo

Mexican fuel theft gang dismantled in major operation

Thirty-two people have been arrested in an operation targeting one of the main criminal organisations responsible for fuel theft in central Mexico, authorities said. The gang stole fuel by drilling into pipelines and then storing it in warehouses, according to the security and civilian protection secretary. Omar García Harfuch said gang members would then sell the fuel illegally across Mexico City and the states of Hidalgo and Querétaro. In a press conference on Sunday, García Harfuch said some gang members had also forged documents and maintained connections with local authorities to facilitate operations. He identified suspects Cirio Sergio "N" and Luis Miguel "N" as two of the main alleged leaders of the criminal organisation tasked with coordinating the extraction and distribution of the fuel. Another man, named as Aurelio N, was identified as a leading "logistic and financial operator of the criminal cell," García Harfuch alleged. The operation was the result of six months of investigative work to identify and locate gang members, authorities said. García Harfuch also said 12 properties that served as the gang's operation centres were seized, alongside nearly 50 vehicles, 36 firearms and 16 million pesos (£619,464) in cash. Various animals and exotic species – including a lion cub, a jaguar cub and two spider monkeys - were also found at the properties. In an update on X on Sunday evening, he said "these animals were in risky conditions" and were now being taken care of by the federal attorney for environmental protection's office. Why are there fuel shortages in Mexico? Mexican police seize alleged oil theft crime boss Tiger and lions seized in raid on Mexican ranch

Mexican fuel theft gang dismantled in major operation
Mexican fuel theft gang dismantled in major operation

BBC News

time2 days ago

  • BBC News

Mexican fuel theft gang dismantled in major operation

Thirty-two people have been arrested in an operation targeting one of the main criminal organisations responsible for fuel theft in central Mexico, authorities gang stole fuel by drilling into pipelines and then storing it in warehouses, according to the security and civilian protection García Harfuch said gang members would then sell the fuel illegally across Mexico City and the states of Hidalgo and Queré a press conference on Sunday, García Harfuch said some gang members had also forged documents and maintained connections with local authorities to facilitate operations. He identified suspects Cirio Sergio "N" and Luis Miguel "N" as two of the main alleged leaders of the criminal organisation tasked with coordinating the extraction and distribution of the man, named as Aurelio N, was identified as a leading "logistic and financial operator of the criminal cell," García Harfuch operation was the result of six months of investigative work to identify and locate gang members, authorities said. García Harfuch also said 12 properties that served as the gang's operation centres were seized, alongside nearly 50 vehicles, 36 firearms and 16 million pesos (£619,464) in animals and exotic species – including a lion cub, a jaguar cub and two spider monkeys - were also found at the an update on X on Sunday evening, he said "these animals were in risky conditions" and were now being taken care of by the federal attorney for environmental protection's office.

Mexican Cartels Are Recruiting Former Colombian Soldiers: Mexican Security Chief
Mexican Cartels Are Recruiting Former Colombian Soldiers: Mexican Security Chief

Epoch Times

time11-06-2025

  • Epoch Times

Mexican Cartels Are Recruiting Former Colombian Soldiers: Mexican Security Chief

The head of Mexico's Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), Omar García Harfuch, said a pattern of organized crime to recruit former Colombian military personnel has been detected in Mexico. Harfuch said on June 10 that on May 29, Mexican Army personnel detained 17 people in the municipality of Los Reyes, Michoacán. Five were Mexicans and 12 were Colombian nationals—nine former soldiers and three civilians with military training in the use of weapons.

Mexico's security chief says drug cartels are recruiting former Colombian soldiers
Mexico's security chief says drug cartels are recruiting former Colombian soldiers

Yahoo

time10-06-2025

  • Politics
  • Yahoo

Mexico's security chief says drug cartels are recruiting former Colombian soldiers

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico's most powerful drug cartels are recruiting former Colombian soldiers, prompting Mexican authorities to turn away dozens of Colombians trying to enter the country in recent weeks, Mexico's security chief said Tuesday. Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch's comments followed the arrest last week of 12 Colombians in the western state of Michoacan in connection with a mine attack that killed eight Mexican soldiers. Through contact with Colombian authorities, García Harfuch said that nine of the 12 individuals were former soldiers and the remaining three were civilians with weapons training. Close underworld ties have long existed between organized crime groups in Mexico and Colombia. For many years, Colombian drug traffickers produced cocaine and heroin and moved it themselves by boat or plane to the United States. Later, as U.S. authorities cracked down on trafficking in the Caribbean, Mexican cartels' power grew as they moved Colombian drugs over land and via small plane to the U.S. border and smuggled them across. Decades of internal conflict in Colombia have produced tens of thousands of former soldiers, paramilitaries and guerrillas with weapons training and combat experience. Colombians have been hired guns in the 2021 assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moïse and in the ongoing war in Ukraine. In recent weeks, Mexican immigration authorities rejected 69 Colombians trying to enter Mexico, some of whom in interviews said 'they had been coopted by some criminal group.' García Harfuch said Tuesday that both the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels were recruiting Colombians. Colombia's ambassador to Mexico, Fernando García, said last week that he feared the arrests would negatively impact ongoing negotiations with Mexico to reduce the number of Colombians prevented from entering the country at Mexican airports. In March, the Colombian government had said that talks with Mexico were progressing with mechanisms for Mexico and Colombia to verify information about those seeking to enter Mexico. In October 2023, Mexican authorities arrested eight Colombians also in Michoacan state, who allegedly were helping to make explosives dropped by cartel drones. Former soldiers from other countries have worked with Mexican cartels too. More than a decade ago, the fearsome Zetas, whose leaders came from Mexico's military, recruited former members of Guatemala's special forces Kaibiles in their ranks. ____ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at

Mexico's security chief says drug cartels are recruiting former Colombian soldiers

time10-06-2025

  • Politics

Mexico's security chief says drug cartels are recruiting former Colombian soldiers

MEXICO CITY -- Mexico's most powerful drug cartels are recruiting former Colombian soldiers, prompting Mexican authorities to turn away dozens of Colombians trying to enter the country in recent weeks, Mexico's security chief said Tuesday. Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch's comments followed the arrest last week of 12 Colombians in the western state of Michoacan in connection with a mine attack that killed eight Mexican soldiers. Through contact with Colombian authorities, García Harfuch said that nine of the 12 individuals were former soldiers and the remaining three were civilians with weapons training. Close underworld ties have long existed between organized crime groups in Mexico and Colombia. For many years, Colombian drug traffickers produced cocaine and heroin and moved it themselves by boat or plane to the United States. Later, as U.S. authorities cracked down on trafficking in the Caribbean, Mexican cartels' power grew as they moved Colombian drugs over land and via small plane to the U.S. border and smuggled them across. Decades of internal conflict in Colombia have produced tens of thousands of former soldiers, paramilitaries and guerrillas with weapons training and combat experience. Colombians have been hired guns in the 2021 assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moïse and in the ongoing war in Ukraine. In recent weeks, Mexican immigration authorities rejected 69 Colombians trying to enter Mexico, some of whom in interviews said 'they had been coopted by some criminal group.' García Harfuch said Tuesday that both the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels were recruiting Colombians. Colombia's ambassador to Mexico, Fernando García, said last week that he feared the arrests would negatively impact ongoing negotiations with Mexico to reduce the number of Colombians prevented from entering the country at Mexican airports. In March, the Colombian government had said that talks with Mexico were progressing with mechanisms for Mexico and Colombia to verify information about those seeking to enter Mexico. In October 2023, Mexican authorities arrested eight Colombians also in Michoacan state, who allegedly were helping to make explosives dropped by cartel drones. Former soldiers from other countries have worked with Mexican cartels too. More than a decade ago, the fearsome Zetas, whose leaders came from Mexico's military, recruited former members of Guatemala's special forces Kaibiles in their ranks.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store