‘Narco Arsenal’: Seizures of Military Weapons From Cartels In Mexico On The Rise by Sol Prendido
In Mexico, the armed forces continue to find military-grade weapons in the hands of organized crime. In the last two years, more grenade launchers and rocket launchers have appeared in seizures that previously dominated with rifles and pistols, which, although dangerous, do not generate the same level of concern as the recent confiscations.
A database compiled by MILENIO, based on information requests to the Ministry of National Defense (Defensa), indicates the discovery of 43 high-caliber weapons in 12 states.
Of that total, 29 devices are grenade launchers and 14 are rocket launchers, two types of weapons commonly used in wars such as the one between Russia and Ukraine.
Cartels clash with each other using weaponry
The fact: Grenade launchers and rocket launchers: What are they?
A grenade launcher is an attachment mounted under a rifle that fires an explosive projectile: it’s used to clear a path, break down doors or windows, and dislodge entrenched groups. As for a rocket launcher, it fires a missile designed to penetrate and destroy; it can disable a truck with improvised armor, bring down a reinforced wall, or dismantle a machine gun position. In very specific cases at low altitude and short range, it can even damage a helicopter.
International organizations maintain that grenade and rocket launchers, due to their inherent risks, should be subject to strict controls.
In Mexico, the discoveries are concentrated in Sinaloa and Michoacán (seven and five, primarily in Culiacán and La Huacana, respectively); Chiapas (four), Chihuahua (three, two of them in Ciudad Juárez), Nuevo León, and Sonora (two of these devices each).
The demographics of the findings suggest that these weapons are not exclusive to a single cartel, but rather that several criminal organizations have access to them. In Sinaloa, for example, the internal dispute for control of the state continues between factions such as Los Chapitos and La Mayiza.
In Michoacán, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and La Familia Michoacana operate and clash; in Chiapas, clashes between Sinaloa and CJNG have been documented, and the Northeast Cartel (CDN) maintains a presence in Nuevo León.
Between 2024 and 2025, records of rocket launchers and grenade launchers indicate a 26.3 percent increase, from 19 to 24.
Seizures of other weapons increase
In one year, it was evident that the military achieved significant seizures of weaponry. In 2024, 9,797 weapons were seized from criminals, while so far in 2025 the number has risen to 11,792, an increase of 20.4 percent.
According to reports from Mexican authorities, the phenomenon originates in the north, toward the border with the United States, the main entry point for weapons. It is no coincidence that Sinaloa and Sonora were where seizures of all types of weapons were concentrated: launchers, yes, but also rifles, pistols, carbines, shotguns, and revolvers.
In 2024, the national map shifted toward the northwest: Sonora topped the list with 1,803 weapons, followed by Sinaloa (with 1,004), Tamaulipas (750), Michoacán (731), and Baja California (708). Together, these five states accounted for 4,996 seized weapons.
Sonora accounts for more than a third of the total, and Sinaloa, around a fifth. The border region and its extension into the Pacific were the main corridor for drug trafficking operations. At the municipal level, Culiacán accumulated 681 weapons; followed by Tijuana (278), Caborca (253), General Plutarco Elías Calles (241), and Nogales (235).
By type, 2024 was marked by the seizure of rifles (5,821) and pistols (2,735). Far behind were carbines (322), shotguns (251), revolvers (176), rifles (162), and machine guns (153).
Sinaloa is the state with the most weapons seizures.
In 2025, the national total reached 11,792, and the map once again shifted toward the northwest: Sinaloa and Sonora accounted for a large portion of the seizures, territories dominated by the cartel founded by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
Although the armed forces didn’t provide a monthly breakdown, through October 2025, Sinaloa led with 2,476 weapons seized, followed by Sonora (1,107), Chihuahua (819), Nuevo León (721), and Michoacán (701).
At the municipal level, the epicenter was Culiacán, with 1,402 weapons, ahead of Juárez (335), Tijuana (302), Apatzingán (201), and Centro, Tabasco (194).
In 2025, by type, rifles (6,418) and pistols (3,453) were again the most prevalent, followed by shotguns (414), carbines (412), and rifles (316).
In both years, the situation in Sinaloa stands out: the number of weapons seized jumped from just over 1,000 in 2024 to 2,476 in 2025, a year-over-year increase of 147 percent. This increase is attributed to operations resulting in multiple seizures in a single event at residences, warehouses, and vehicles.
Fewer Guns, Less Violence
The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), Omar García Harfuch, warned last year of the importance of addressing this issue:
“Taking guns off the streets means less violence, less power for criminal organizations, and more peace of mind for Mexican families. For the Mexican government, these actions are designed to protect families and build peace in our country.”
This year, the Security Cabinet has dealt several blows to drug trafficking. In June, in Culiacán, raids on houses connected by a tunnel resulted in the seizure of eight grenade launchers and two rocket launchers, in addition to 123 long guns and 61 handguns.
The cartels are fighting each other with military weaponry.
In July, in Tamazula de Gordiano, Jalisco, the National Guard and the Army located a vehicle with a grenade launcher attachment, grenades, improvised explosive devices, a drone, and tactical equipment. In October, again in Culiacán, authorities seized two grenade launchers, a machine gun, six rifles, 58 magazines, and 1,800 rounds of ammunition.
Among the government’s ongoing operations, Operation Northern Border stands out, through which the federal government has been concentrating coordinated deployments along the border with the United States since February.
Source: Milenio
The post ‘Narco Arsenal’: Seizures of Military Weapons From Cartels In Mexico On The Rise appeared first on Cartel Insider.
In Mexico, the armed forces continue to find military-grade weapons in the hands of organized crime. In the last two years, more grenade launchers and rocket launchers have appeared in seizures that previously dominated with rifles and pistols, which, although dangerous, do not generate the same level of concern as the recent confiscations.
A database compiled by MILENIO, based on information requests to the Ministry of National Defense (Defensa), indicates the discovery of 43 high-caliber weapons in 12 states.
Of that total, 29 devices are grenade launchers and 14 are rocket launchers, two types of weapons commonly used in wars such as the one between Russia and Ukraine.
Cartels clash with each other using weaponry
The fact: Grenade launchers and rocket launchers: What are they?
A grenade launcher is an attachment mounted under a rifle that fires an explosive projectile: it’s used to clear a path, break down doors or windows, and dislodge entrenched groups. As for a rocket launcher, it fires a missile designed to penetrate and destroy; it can disable a truck with improvised armor, bring down a reinforced wall, or dismantle a machine gun position. In very specific cases at low altitude and short range, it can even damage a helicopter.
International organizations maintain that grenade and rocket launchers, due to their inherent risks, should be subject to strict controls.
In Mexico, the discoveries are concentrated in Sinaloa and Michoacán (seven and five, primarily in Culiacán and La Huacana, respectively); Chiapas (four), Chihuahua (three, two of them in Ciudad Juárez), Nuevo León, and Sonora (two of these devices each).
The demographics of the findings suggest that these weapons are not exclusive to a single cartel, but rather that several criminal organizations have access to them. In Sinaloa, for example, the internal dispute for control of the state continues between factions such as Los Chapitos and La Mayiza.
In Michoacán, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and La Familia Michoacana operate and clash; in Chiapas, clashes between Sinaloa and CJNG have been documented, and the Northeast Cartel (CDN) maintains a presence in Nuevo León.
Between 2024 and 2025, records of rocket launchers and grenade launchers indicate a 26.3 percent increase, from 19 to 24.
Seizures of other weapons increase
In one year, it was evident that the military achieved significant seizures of weaponry. In 2024, 9,797 weapons were seized from criminals, while so far in 2025 the number has risen to 11,792, an increase of 20.4 percent.
According to reports from Mexican authorities, the phenomenon originates in the north, toward the border with the United States, the main entry point for weapons. It is no coincidence that Sinaloa and Sonora were where seizures of all types of weapons were concentrated: launchers, yes, but also rifles, pistols, carbines, shotguns, and revolvers.
In 2024, the national map shifted toward the northwest: Sonora topped the list with 1,803 weapons, followed by Sinaloa (with 1,004), Tamaulipas (750), Michoacán (731), and Baja California (708). Together, these five states accounted for 4,996 seized weapons.
Sonora accounts for more than a third of the total, and Sinaloa, around a fifth. The border region and its extension into the Pacific were the main corridor for drug trafficking operations. At the municipal level, Culiacán accumulated 681 weapons; followed by Tijuana (278), Caborca (253), General Plutarco Elías Calles (241), and Nogales (235).
By type, 2024 was marked by the seizure of rifles (5,821) and pistols (2,735). Far behind were carbines (322), shotguns (251), revolvers (176), rifles (162), and machine guns (153).
Sinaloa is the state with the most weapons seizures.
In 2025, the national total reached 11,792, and the map once again shifted toward the northwest: Sinaloa and Sonora accounted for a large portion of the seizures, territories dominated by the cartel founded by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
Although the armed forces didn’t provide a monthly breakdown, through October 2025, Sinaloa led with 2,476 weapons seized, followed by Sonora (1,107), Chihuahua (819), Nuevo León (721), and Michoacán (701).
At the municipal level, the epicenter was Culiacán, with 1,402 weapons, ahead of Juárez (335), Tijuana (302), Apatzingán (201), and Centro, Tabasco (194).
In 2025, by type, rifles (6,418) and pistols (3,453) were again the most prevalent, followed by shotguns (414), carbines (412), and rifles (316).
In both years, the situation in Sinaloa stands out: the number of weapons seized jumped from just over 1,000 in 2024 to 2,476 in 2025, a year-over-year increase of 147 percent. This increase is attributed to operations resulting in multiple seizures in a single event at residences, warehouses, and vehicles.
Fewer Guns, Less Violence
The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), Omar García Harfuch, warned last year of the importance of addressing this issue:
“Taking guns off the streets means less violence, less power for criminal organizations, and more peace of mind for Mexican families. For the Mexican government, these actions are designed to protect families and build peace in our country.”
This year, the Security Cabinet has dealt several blows to drug trafficking. In June, in Culiacán, raids on houses connected by a tunnel resulted in the seizure of eight grenade launchers and two rocket launchers, in addition to 123 long guns and 61 handguns.
The cartels are fighting each other with military weaponry.
In July, in Tamazula de Gordiano, Jalisco, the National Guard and the Army located a vehicle with a grenade launcher attachment, grenades, improvised explosive devices, a drone, and tactical equipment. In October, again in Culiacán, authorities seized two grenade launchers, a machine gun, six rifles, 58 magazines, and 1,800 rounds of ammunition.
Among the government’s ongoing operations, Operation Northern Border stands out, through which the federal government has been concentrating coordinated deployments along the border with the United States since February.
Source: Milenio
The post ‘Narco Arsenal’: Seizures of Military Weapons From Cartels In Mexico On The Rise appeared first on Cartel Insider.