Mexican security forces seize record fentanyl haul

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – The Mexican army and national guard seized a record quantity of fentanyl in the northern state of Sinaloa earlier this week, according to a statement by the Ministry of Defense on Thursday, in a rare bust of manufacturers of the powerful synthetic opioid.

The seizure of 542.7 kg (1,196.4 lb) of fentanyl, alongside some 555 kg of meth, 31 kg of cocaine, 7 kg of heroine, and over 71,000 kg of chemical precursors, was carried out on a warehouse on Monday and resulted in 10 arrests.

The Ministry of Defense said the warehouse had been run by “members of organized crime,” but did not give any further detail about the specifics of the group.

Fentanyl is the most lethal type of opioid used in the United States, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Mexico’s checkered progress against drug trafficking has been seen as a major sticking point for bilateral ties with the United States, where fentanyl pushed overdoses to record levels in 2021.

(Reporting by Isabel Woodford; Editing by Sandra Maler)