Case Explained: Operations for missing miners hit organized crime in Mexico – Legal Perspective

The operations deployed by federal and state authorities to locate 10 missing mining workers in Sinaloa resulted in the seizure of weapons, ammunition, and tactical equipment, as well as the dismantling of camps allegedly used by organized crime, highlighting the impact of the case on regional security.

The miners disappeared on Friday, January 23, after having been deprived of their freedom by an armed group while they were at a camp belonging to the Canadian company Vizsla Silver, in the municipality of Concordia, and their whereabouts are still unknown.

The Ministry of the Navy (Semar), through the Mexican Navy and in coordination with the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), reported that the seizures were carried out as part of the interagency operations deployed during the search for the workers.

According to a statement dated February 5, during air and ground patrols in the town of El Verde, in the municipality of Concordia, naval personnel seized 1.600 cartridges, 46 magazines, four tactical vests, a ballistic helmet, and an improvised explosive device, which was destroyed on site by specialized personnel.

In a second operation, in the town of Los Naranjos, also in the municipality of Concordia, the security forces located and disabled 10 camps attributed to organized crime, as part of preventive actions to weaken its operational capacity and reinforce security in the area.

As part of the parallel actions, the Sinaloa Public Security Secretariat reported that on February 4 four people —three men and one woman— were arrested in the towns of La Concepción and El Verde, who were in possession of firearms, cartridges, magazines, and tactical equipment. The detainees were placed at the disposal of the authorities to determine their possible connection with the disappearance of the miners.

Previously, the Office of the State Attorney General reported finding the victims’ belongings after searches carried out in five homes, one in Mazatlán and four in Concordia.

The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, reported that the workers had not received prior threats before being deprived of their freedom by the armed group, according to information released by Mexican media.

(The original version of this content was written in Spanish)