Eight Colombian nationals have been arrested in Michoacan, Mexico for allegedly working on improvised explosive devices for Los Viagras, a local criminal group involved in the drug trade. The Colombians were arrested by state and federal forces who also seized four improvised explosives, a .38 Super calibre pistol, 16 magazines and 1,040 cartridges for long weapons.
Elementos de la #GuardiaCivil, el #EjércitoMexicano y la @GN_MEXICO_, mediante las BOI'S, desmantelamos una célula colombiana dedicada a fabricar explosivos para drones en Catalinas, Buenavista. Ocho presuntos integrantes de esta organización criminal fueron detenidos. pic.twitter.com/Jb11nAMgB0
— SSP MICHOACÁN (@SSeguridad_Mich) October 8, 2023
The explosives were reported to be used via drones, an increasingly popular tactic by criminal groups in Mexico. Explosives are attached to drones before they are dropped on other criminal groups, civilians, and state forces. In this video alleged members of the Sinaloa Cartel can be seen dropping explosives from a drone of alleged members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Sicarios del cartel de Sinaloa utilizando "Drones Explosivos" para bombardear a los sicarios del cartel Jalisco durante las balaceras en #Teocaltiche.
Algunos se preguntan porque los sicarios disparan al aire, bueno esta es la razón.@Anzio20mmFIM92
@Fernand28436045 @onhole9 pic.twitter.com/PAVhKgvnxo— Don Alejo (@ElCazaLacras) April 25, 2023
After the arrests, a roadblock was set up in Buenavista, where the arrests took place in Michoacan, by Los Viagras, in protest against the arrest. However, it was quickly removed with no violent clashes between the criminal group and state or federal forces.
