In the first six months of 2026, the Michoacán State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) arrested 12 foreigners, allegedly linked to organized crime and offenses such as extortion and homicide, reported the head of the agency, Israel Vega Rodríguez. Meanwhile, the Michoacán Public Security Secretariat, along with federal authorities, arrested 72 foreign nationals in 2025, all connected to organized crime.
The FGE’s deputy attorney general explained that seven of those arrested are Colombian, three are American, and two are Venezuelan. He stated that the arrest of Hernán N., a U.S. citizen, occurred during a raid on July 1st in the municipality of Jacona. The operation was authorized following an investigation into alleged drug dealing and was carried out in coordination with the State Attorney General’s Office, the National Defense Secretariat, the National Guard, and the Civil Guard.
During the operation, several items were seized, including gram scales and identification cards, which are part of the investigation. Vega Rodríguez indicated that the investigations are ongoing, as there are indications that more foreign nationals may be involved in illicit activities in the state.
“We have a total of 12 foreign nationals detained for committing crimes here in the state. This does not mean that the lines of investigation will not lead to more arrests; we continue to closely monitor various crimes and can presume the involvement of more foreign nationals in criminal activity,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the head of the Michoacán Public Security Secretariat (SSP), José Antonio Cruz Medina, reported that 72 foreign nationals were arrested in 2025, the majority of whom were Colombian and Venezuelan. “In 2025, in various operations, we arrested 31 Colombians, 29 Venezuelans, five US nationals, three Guatemalans, and one Peruvian, one Panamanian, and one Argentinian,” he explained.
Source: jornada
