Mexican Cartels Deploy Bomb-Laden Drones and IEDs

Mexican drug cartels are escalating their use of sophisticated and dangerous weaponry, including bomb-laden drones and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), marking a significant intensification of violence. This trend is raising concerns about the evolving tactics of criminal organizations and their potential impact on public safety and national security. The latest incident occurred on a Sunday night outside a police station in Ojocaliente, a town located in the north-central state of Zacatecas, approximately 360 miles (580 km) northwest of Mexico City. While no fatalities were reported in this specific event, the detonation of 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of explosives resulted in injuries to 11 individuals and caused damage to over 60 homes in the city center. Mexico’s security chief, Omar García Harfuch, disclosed these details on Friday during a visit to Zacatecas accompanied by President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Zacatecas has been a focal point for this escalating violence, with state Attorney General Cristian Paul Camacho reporting 23 attacks involving explosives in the state so far this year. Among these, six incidents specifically involved cars or motorcycles packed with explosives. The ongoing conflict for control of Zacatecas is primarily between two powerful cartels: the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel. These organizations have been engaged in a prolonged struggle for dominance in the region, contributing to the heightened security concerns.

While car bombs are relatively rare in Mexico compared to other forms of violence, their use has a history. Victor Manuel Sánchez, a professor at the University of Coahuila who has studied car bombings in Mexico, noted an earlier period of such activity, including a 1994 attack in Guadalajara orchestrated by the Tijuana Cartel. This attack specifically targeted Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, who was later convicted in the United States. More recently, Sánchez indicated that the Jalisco New Generation Cartel has increasingly incorporated explosives into its operations as it expands its territorial influence across Mexico. Authorities have attributed two recent bombings in the centers of small cities to the CJNG, including an incident in Michoacán in December that resulted in five deaths, and the aforementioned attack outside the police station in Zacatecas on Sunday. The CJNG is recognized as one of the most prominent and aggressive Mexican criminal organizations.