The Mexican authorities have seized more than 17 million liters of stolen diesel and hydrocarbon in two major operations, marking a significant blow for illegal fuel trafficking networks.
The largest crisis – 10 million liters of diesel – occurred in the tamaulipas about 10 days after a ship rolling in Singapore, the Procyon challenge, arrived at the port of Tampico on March 19, transporting lubricant oil additives.
In Altamira, tamaulipas, elements of @Semar_mx,, @Fgrmexico Y @Sspcmexico They made an insurance of 10 million liters of diesel. 192 containers, a ship, 29 lectorships, weapons and vehicles were secured.
This action is the result of coordination of the cabinet … pic.twitter.com/zyozydgyir– Omar H Garcia Harfuch (@Oharfuch) March 31, 2025
However, the ship, which had sailed on March 16 of Beaumont, Texas, was quickly linked to illegal hydrocarbon trafficking. Hydrocarbons are a class of compounds which includes petrol, diesel and many other substances both in gas and liquid form.
Federal forces, including The Navy (SEMAR), the Office of the Attorney General (FGR) and the National Guard (GN) made a descent into the multiple sites in Altamira, Tamaulipas, striking 192 containers, 23 tractors, firearms and documentation.
In a press release published on Monday, Minister of Security Omar García Harfuch underlined that the operation was the result of strong information and investigation and coordination between many agencies, including the office of the specialized prosecutor for organized crime (FEMDO) and the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection (SSPC) plus those mentioned above.
A separate operation in Ensenada, Baja California, discovered 7.9 million liters of hydrocarbons on March 29 on a property which would be owned by former senator from Morena Gerardo Novelo Osuna, an ally of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The newspaper EL Financial has written that it “was described as the greatest seizure of” Black Gold “never found in one place.”
Novelo strongly denied participation, declaring that he had rented the property to a man known as “Gussy” (Luis Francisco Rodríguez Orozco) under a rental agreement.
Located 1.2 km from a Pemex pipeline, the site contained 119 storage tanks, 46 tanker trucks and 19 tractors.
In the two operations, the authorities have focused on interinishing collaboration.
The Tamaulipas operation alone involved six federal agencies and also recovered two handguns, 102 cartridges and computer equipment, next to fuel.
In Baja California, the Pemex security teams discovered the storage site during intensified patrols, with continuous monitoring of defense officials.
Critics on social networks have nicknamed the Baja California affair “Huachicol of well-being” – Combining the fuel flight concept (Huachicol) with government social protection programs. They apply it to people who have benefited from the flight and illegal sales of diesel and essence who are linked to personalities or political parties, in particular those associated with populist policies aimed at benefiting from the public.
Huachicol alludes to activities such as tapping pipelines, Use of tunnels to steal gas, Truck truck trucks diverted or store stolen fuel for resale on the black market. The term comes from its historical use to describe falsified products, evolving to signify stolen or diluted fuel in Mexico.
Combined, the bust of Tamaulipas, which Semar deemed “historic”, and the operation of Baja California have aroused more than 17 million liters, represent one of the greatest repressions of Mexico against the flight of fuel in the last decade.
With reports from The financier,, Yucatan Journal And Buy a horse
