In a significant crackdown on fuel smuggling, Mexican authorities have dismantled a massive clandestine distribution center for stolen hydrocarbons in León, Guanajuato. The operation, carried out by state and federal agents, resulted in the seizure of over 23,700 liters of illicit fuel.
Located in a building on the outskirts of León, the smuggling hub was found to be operating under the guise of a legitimate security facility. According to officials, agents were initially met with resistance from the site’s occupants but eventually gained access after presenting their credentials and explaining the reason for the intervention.
Inside the complex, authorities discovered a large metal tank capable of storing up to 30,000 liters of fuel, as well as an unlicensed gasoline vending machine. Thirty-three tractor-trailer trucks and 18 dry vans were also seized in the operation, along with a cache of documents that appear to be linked to the illicit fuel trade.
The Attorney General’s Office, Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection, Secretariat of National Defense, and National Guard participated in the coordinated effort to dismantle the smuggling ring. The operation was authorized by a federal judge and carried out by personnel from the Field Investigation Commission, attached to the Undersecretariat of Operational Intelligence, along with agents from the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office.
“This significant blow to criminal networks will undoubtedly disrupt their ability to supply vehicles with illicit fuel,” officials said in a statement. The dismantling of the smuggling center is seen as a major victory in the ongoing battle against fuel theft and organized crime in Mexico.
Source: La Jornada
