Mexican authorities arrested 13 suspected criminals linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and seized their weapons and vehicles after repelling an attack. The incident occurred during a land patrol in the town of La Vuelta, in the municipality of Navolato, when a group of agents from the Secretariat of the Navy detected a vehicle with armed individuals. Upon noticing their presence, the aggressors fired at the agents. In response, the agents repelled the attack in accordance with protocols. As the suspects attempted to flee, they entered a private residence where they were apprehended. Security sources and local media indicated that the captured individuals are presumed members of the 'Los Mayos' faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. From them, eight long-barreled weapons, five short-barreled weapons, one rifle, 60 magazines of various calibers, 56 live cartridges, as well as three vehicles and eight motorcycles were secured. The detainees were informed of their legal rights, and along with the seized items, they were presented to the Public Prosecutor, who will determine their legal status and integrate the case file into the investigation. In the operation, in addition to SEMAR personnel, agents from the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA), the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic (FGR), the National Guard (GN), and the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) participated. In Sinaloa, and its capital Culiacán, since September 2024, there has been an internal power struggle within the Sinaloa Cartel, which the United States declared a terrorist group this year following the arrest in July 2024 of Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, the organization's co-founder, after Joaquín Guzmán López, one of 'El Chapo' Guzmán's sons, turned him over to the United States. According to figures from the State Public Security Council (CESP) NGO, since September 9, 2024, the conflict between 'Los Chapitos' and 'Los Mayos' has caused more than 1,800 deaths and over 2,400 forced disappearances in Sinaloa.
