By Chris CovertRantburg.com
Between March 13th and March 20th Mexican Army units throughout Mexico have seized 4,654.52 kilograms of marijuana, 10.993 kilograms of methamphetamine, 40 liters of methamphetamine, 1.98 kilograms of glass methamphetamine and 2 kilograms of opium gum.
- A Mexican Army unit with the 4th Military Zone conducted a search of a bus at a checkpoint near Querobabi, Sonora March 13th, arresting one unidentified individual with 10.993 kilograms of methamphetamine.
- A Mexican Army unit seized several kilograms of marijuana in Villa Ahumada municipality in Chihuahua state March 14th. The unit was on patrol near ejido Eva Lucero when it happened on three abandoned vehicles which contained 6.4 kilograms of marijuana.
- An army unit with the 9th Military Zone located a hidden synthetic drug laboratory in Sinaloa state March 14th. Th lab was found in the village of Rincon de los Monzon in Culican where soldiers found 40 liters of methamphetamine, 50 kilograms of caustic soda, 10 kilograms of tartaric acid, 975 liters of chemical precursors and various containers and other equipment.
- An army unit with the 26th Military Zone encountered armed suspects in a firefight in Veracruz state March 14th. The incident took place on Calle Nicolas Bravo in Cruz dela Mision colony in Las Vigas de Ramirez municipality, where armed suspects fired on the unit. Army return fire ended the firefight, forcing an unknown number of suspects to flee. Following the end of the encounter, soldiers seized five rifles, 41 weapons magazines, 1,040 rounds of ammunition, one tactical vest and one vehicle. One unidentified armed suspect was detained at the scene.
- A Mexican Army unit with the 5th Military Zone detained one unidentified individual with several guns March 16th in Chihuahua state. The incident took place in Nuevo Casas Grandes where soldiers found two vehicles containing five rifles, 12 weapons magazines, 655 rounds of ammunition and tactical gear.
- A Mexican Army unit with the 8th Military Zone seized more than 3 metric tons of marijuana in Tamaulipas state March 17th. The unit was on patrol in Ciudad Miguel Aleman when it happened on an abandoned building with 1,482 packages of marijuana weighing 3,393.3 kilograms.
- Units with the Mexican 9th and 26 Military Zones conducted searches in Veracruz state March 17th seizing a number of contraband items including drugs and guns. The seizures included personal quantities of marijuana and cocaine, six rifles, two handguns, 543 rounds of ammunition, 25 weapons magazines for different weapons and three vehicles. A total of five unidentified individuals were detained.
- Nine unidentified individuals were detained in several incidents in Nuevo Leon state March 18th and 19th by army units with the Mexican 7th Military Zone. Contraband seized included four rifles, one handgun, three grenades, 25 weapons magazine, 380 rounds of ammunition, 10 kilograms of marijuana, 150 packages of marijuana divided for retail sale, three radios, communications equipment and four vehicles.
- A total of nine unidentified individuals were detained by units with the Mexican 19th and 26th Military Zones in several incidents in Veracruz state March 18th where guns and drugs were found. Included contraband seized were two handguns, nine weapons magazines, 241 rounds of ammunition, personal quantities of cocaine and marijuana, one ATV and two vehicles.
- A Mexican Army unit with the 2nd Military Zone found and destroyed a marijuana plantation in Ensendada municipality in Baja California state March 15th. The total area of was plantation was reported to be 2,600 square meters.
- On March 16th in Baja California state an army unit with the Mexican 2nd Military Zone located two airstrips, one 50 kilometers east of Ensenada municipality, with a length of 290 meters by six meters and one 20 kilometers north of Heroes de la Independencia ejido, also in Ensenada municipality. The second airstrip was 20 meters by one kilometer long. Both airstrips were destroyed.
- On March 16th soldiers with the Mexican 2nd Military Zone detained two unidentified individuals with drugs and guns. The incident took place in Altabrisa colony in Delegacion Mesa de Otay in Tijuana, in Baja California state. Soldiers seized three packages of glass methamphetimine weighing 1.98 kilograms, one rifle, one handgun, two weapons magazines, 71 rounds of ammunition and two vehicles.
- On March 16th army units with the Mexican 2nd Military Zone found and destroyed two marijuana plantations 15 kilometers north of Ensenada municipality in Baja California state totalling 1,500 square meters.
- On March 17th army units with the Mexican 2nd Military Zone destroyed a landing strip in the village of Guayaquil in Ensenada municipality in Baja California state with a length of 300 meters by eight meters.
- On March 19th a Mexican Army unit with the 2nd Military Zone destroyed a landing strip in the village of El Rosario in Ensenada municipality in Baja California state with a length of 400 meters by 10 meters.
- A Mexican Army unit with the 2nd Military Zone conducted a search of a tractor trailer unit at a military checkpoint in Miguel Aleman colony in Mexicali, Baja California March 18th. Inside the trailer soldiers seized 996 packages of marijuana totalling 1,244.720 kilograms. The driver was detained at the scene.
- A Mexican Army unit with the 13th Military Zone detained two unidentified individuals in Nayarit with drugs and guns March 19th. The arrest took place as army forces were on patrol in the village of Los Leandros in Rosamorada municipality. Soldiers seized two kilograms of opium gum, one handgun and 72 rounds of ammunition.
- In several incidents in Veracruz state, army units with the Mexican 19th and 26th Military Zones seized a number of drugs and other contraband March 20th in Zongolica, Naranjos and Coatzacoalcos municipalities. Included in materiel seized were 0.600 kilograms of marijuana, 32 packages of marijuana presumably divided for retail sale, one rifle, one motorcycle and two vehicles.
- An army unit with the Mexican 12th Military Zone detained two unidentifed individuals and seized a number of drugs and guns in San Luis Potosi state March 20th. The raid took place in Ricardo Flores Mago colony in San Luis Potosi municipality where soldiers seized one rifle, 479 rounds of ammunition, 17 weapons magazines, communications gear and two vehicles, one of which was stolen.
Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com