Mexico Seizes and Destroys 721 Illegal Slot Machines Linked to Criminals

Michoacán authorities have seized and destroyed 721 illegal slot machines, a move Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla highlighted as a significant blow against organized crime. These machines were estimated to generate approximately 8.6 million pesos (about $480,000 USD) for criminal groups.

Since taking office, Bedolla's administration has confiscated a total of 4,383 of these devices. The seizures are part of a coordinated effort involving federal, state, and municipal security forces, aligning with the National Strategy Against Extortion. The governor urged the public not to normalize the use of these "training games," emphasizing their direct links to serious crimes.

"We are directly combating the crime of extortion," Bedolla stated, noting that recent reforms to the penal code have led to the arrest of 48 individuals for this offense this year alone. Israel Vega Rodríguez, the state's Deputy Prosecutor for Intelligence and Criminal Investigation, described the seizures as a concrete and forceful action by the Mexican state to dismantle criminal operations that generate illegal revenue.

Authorities at all three levels of government are committed to strengthening investigative and intelligence capabilities to identify, dismantle, and prosecute those responsible for these crimes. The destruction of the machines represents a tangible step in disrupting the financial networks of criminal organizations operating within the state.

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We are directly combating the crime of extortion.