Authorities seize suspected methamphetamine and fentanyl lab in Chihuahua mountains

Authorities seized what they described as a suspected clandestine laboratory in Chihuahua’s mountainous region, near the settlement of Las Lajas in the municipality of Hidalgo del Parral.

The State Public Security Secretariat said the operation took place Tuesday morning in coordination with the Defense Ministry, the National Guard, the state investigative agency and state and federal prosecutors. An SSPE aircraft located the installations during patrols and reconnaissance flights over remote roads, then guided ground personnel to the site.

Officers found materials and supplies consistent with a suspected laboratory. The seizure included thousands of liters of liquid substances and about one ton of solid products. Prosecutors from Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office took custody of the material and will determine its exact contents and quantities through forensic analysis.

The SSPE said the facility’s size suggested an estimated capacity of 100 kilograms of methamphetamine per day. Authorities equated that potential output with about 100,000 daily doses reaching the streets, although the classification of the seized compounds remains subject to expert testing.

Officials said the intervention followed prior analysis and used preventive protocols to protect personnel and reduce health risks. The area remained under guard as authorities searched nearby for people connected to the site. No arrests were reported.