Suspected 'logistics chief' of cocaine ring arrested in Mexico

Mexican authorities have arrested a foreign national identified as 'La Patrona,' who is allegedly involved in an international cocaine trafficking ring. The Attorney General's Office (FGR) announced the detention on Wednesday, stating that the suspect is believed to have managed the logistics for a criminal structure that shipped drugs to the United States, Europe, and Australia.

The FGR indicated that the network's alleged method involved chemically impregnating clothing before sending it via air cargo. The suspect was apprehended in Atizapán de Zaragoza, located in the State of Mexico. She has since been placed at the disposal of the judicial authority in Colima, a state on Mexico's west coast. However, the FGR did not provide further details regarding the organization's structure, specific criminal activities, or the exact charges for which the arrest warrant was issued.

In parallel operations, the FGR reported conducting searches at three properties in the states of Colima and Morelos. These locations are suspected of being linked to a transnational criminal organization involved in drug trafficking to the U.S., Europe, and Asia. During these searches, investigators seized computer equipment, a long firearm, and various documents. It remains unclear whether these searches are directly connected to the arrest of 'La Patrona.'

The FGR also reported the seizure of 14,010 liters of fuel in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, along with ammunition, vehicles, and containers. Additionally, a tractor-trailer related to fuel smuggling was confiscated in Nahuatzen, Michoacán. Another arrest was made in Jiutepec, Morelos, of an individual named Apolonio 'N' for alleged misuse of public servant credentials.

These actions are presented by the FGR as part of its commitment to dismantling criminal structures involved in various illicit activities, including hydrocarbon theft, arms trafficking, transnational drug smuggling, and public corruption. The operations occur amid Mexico's intensified security strategy, particularly in response to pressure from Washington to combat drug trafficking and curb the flow of illicit substances into the United States.