Over 30 Arrested in the Bust of One of Mexico’s Major Fuel Theft Networks

A new blow to fuel theft networks in Mexico, one of the country’s major problems, has been a focus for the security cabinet in recent months. The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, spoke to the press this Sunday to announce the dismantling of one of the main organizations dedicated to this issue in central Mexico, according to his own words. The operation resulted in 32 arrests, almost 16 million pesos seized, dozens of vehicles confiscated, and even exotic animals rescued.

Accompanied by Attorney General Alejandro Gertz and the heads of the Defense and Navy Secretariats, as well as the commander of the National Guard, Harfuch explained that the fight against fuel theft, known locally as huachicol, has been a government priority since the years of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. “Daily operations are carried out. But for this one, since it is so significant, we report differently,” the official stated. “The dismantling of networks not only affects the operational and financial capabilities of these groups but also reaffirms this government’s commitment to fighting impunity,” he added.

Harfuch detailed that the network was tapping into Pemex pipelines in the State of Mexico, Hidalgo, and Querétaro to extract gasoline and LP gas. The criminals stored the fuel in warehouses and then distributed it. The network had an illegal distribution system to gas stations. Some members were involved in creating false documents and maintaining ties with local authorities to facilitate their operations,” Harfuch explained. The secretary highlighted the capture of the two main leaders of the organization, Cirio Sergio N and Luis Miguel N, alias El Flaco de Oro.

Neither Harfuch nor Gertz, who also spoke to the media, provided details about the authorities colluding with the criminal network, despite reporters’ insistence. It remains unclear whether these are only local authorities or if members of state or federal corporations are also involved. In his remarks, Gertz emphasized “the territorial coverage” of the operation, which took place simultaneously in several municipalities across three states. These include Ixtlahuaca, Polotitlán, Huehuetoca, and Jilotepec in the State of Mexico, Tlalpan in the capital, and the city of Querétaro.

In total, authorities conducted 12 simultaneous searches. The amount of seized machinery suggests the large scale of the criminal operation. Agents confiscated 21 tractor-trailers, 14 semi-trailers, eight tanker trucks, a 27-meter-long stationary tank, and 48 vehicles, including armored cars and high-end SUVs. Neither Harfuch nor Gertz estimated the value of the seized materials.

This case follows the interception in March of a ship in a Tamaulipas port in the Gulf of Mexico, which was carrying fuel imported illegally, passed through customs with a false label. The ship contained 10 million liters of fuel, meant to supply the black market. Huachicol represents an annual loss to the Mexican state of about 177 billion pesos, approximately 9.2 billion dollars, according to estimates by specialists.