Mexican authorities caught 11 National Guard members red-handed while they were actively protecting and operating a cartel-run fuel theft operation in Guanajuato, revealing the shocking depth of corruption within the country’s federal law enforcement.
Key Takeaways
- Eleven National Guard members were arrested in Guanajuato while guarding and operating a cartel fuel theft operation, with some using official military vehicles and weapons.
- The guardsmen were caught after local police responded to an anonymous tip, discovering them filling a tanker truck with stolen fuel from a Pemex pipeline.
- One plainclothes federal officer was identified as the driver of the tractor-trailer used for storing and transporting the stolen fuel.
- Fuel theft (huachicoleo) costs Pemex approximately $900,000 daily, while related smuggling and tax evasion drain about $24 million per day from the Mexican treasury.
- The U.S. Department of the Treasury has identified fuel theft as a significant revenue source for drug cartels, with stolen fuel sometimes smuggled into the United States.
Guards Caught Protecting Cartel Operation
The arrest took place in Apaseo el Alto, Guanajuato, after local police responded to an anonymous tip about illegal tapping of fuel pipelines. Upon arriving at the scene, authorities discovered the National Guard members actively guarding and participating in the illegal operation. Three officers and eight enlisted men were apprehended while filling a tanker truck with stolen fuel directly from a Pemex pipeline. The guardsmen were heavily armed with Army-issued weapons and had arrived in three official military vehicles, demonstrating the brazen nature of their criminal activity.
When confronted by local police, the National Guardsmen initially claimed they were monitoring a legitimate fuel transport operation. However, this cover story quickly fell apart when one guardsman attempted to flee the scene in the tanker truck. Further investigation revealed that the driver of the tractor-trailer was a federal officer wearing plainclothes, confirming high-level involvement in the criminal enterprise. The Defense Ministry later verified that the weapons and vehicles used in the operation were indeed official Army equipment.
Widespread Corruption and Economic Impact
This incident highlights the deep-rooted corruption within Mexico’s security forces and their entanglement with organized crime. The National Guard, which was established as part of President López Obrador’s security strategy, was meant to be a more trustworthy alternative to previously corrupt police forces. Yet this case demonstrates how criminal organizations have successfully infiltrated even these supposedly reformed security institutions, enabling cartels to continue their illegal operations with official protection.
Fuel theft, known locally as “huachicoleo,” has become a major source of revenue for Mexican drug cartels, particularly the Cartel Jalisco New Generation. According to official figures, these illegal tapping operations cost Pemex, Mexico’s state-owned petroleum company, approximately $900,000 daily. The economic impact extends beyond direct theft, as fuel smuggling and related tax evasion drain an estimated $24 million per day from the Mexican treasury, creating a significant burden on the country’s economy.
Cross-Border Implications
The illegal fuel trade isn’t confined to Mexico’s borders. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has identified fuel theft as a significant concern, as stolen fuel is frequently smuggled into the United States for illegal sale. This cross-border dimension adds complexity to addressing the problem, requiring international cooperation. Transnational companies have also been implicated in the scheme, with some accused of avoiding taxes by misreporting contraband fuel as non-taxable items, further contributing to revenue losses.
In this particular case, authorities noted that an unspecified number of National Guard troops managed to escape the scene, suggesting the network of corruption may be even more extensive than the arrests indicate. The suspects who were apprehended, along with their weapons, were handed over to the Federal Attorney General’s Office for prosecution, while their vehicles were impounded as evidence. This case represents just one instance of what appears to be a widespread problem in Guanajuato, which has experienced numerous cases of criminal organizations tapping into underground fuel lines.
