Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch reports over 21,000 arrests, 157 tons of narcotics seized, and 915 clandestine labs dismantled between October 2024 and May 2025, marking unprecedented results in Mexico’s fight against organized crime.
At a press conference held Monday morning at the National Palace, Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection Omar García Harfuch unveiled what he described as a “historic blow to organized crime” under President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration. The report, covering the period from October 1, 2024, through May 18, 2025, details sweeping operations across the country that have netted thousands of arrests, massive drug seizures, and the dismantling of hundreds of clandestine laboratories.
Harfuch opened the briefing by emphasizing the unprecedented level of coordination between federal, naval, and state security forces. “Thanks to joint planning and intelligence sharing among all levels of government, we have achieved results never before seen in our fight against organized crime,” he said, underscoring President Sheinbaum’s direct involvement in setting strategic priorities.
Between last October and mid-May, authorities apprehended 21,411 individuals on charges ranging from high-impact offenses to logistical support for criminal networks. In tandem, security forces seized over 157 metric tons of narcotics, including 1.5 tons of fentanyl and more than 2.3 million pill doses, and confiscated 11,000 firearms. Perhaps most consequential was the dismantling of 915 clandestine methamphetamine laboratories, strikes aimed at crippling the financial backbone of cartels.
Harfuch highlighted several high-impact operations in key states. In Michoacán, federal agents arrested nine members of an armed cell linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). In Guerrero, more than 1.3 tons of cocaine were intercepted in an offshore operation. Meanwhile, joint federal-state raids in Guanajuato, Baja California, Sinaloa, and Veracruz resulted in the capture of major cartel figures and the seizure of high-caliber weapons caches.
Two of the most notable captures include “El Conejo,” identified as a CJNG logistics operator in Zacatecas, and “Logan,” a key lieutenant within the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel. Authorities say these arrests are part of a broader strategy to decapitate cartel leadership and interrupt their command chains.
On Mexico’s northern border, “Operation Frontera” has targeted cross-border smuggling routes with significant success: over 3,400 arrests, 32 tons of illicit drugs, and nearly 3,000 weapons removed from circulation. Harfuch described these results as a testament to enhanced cooperation with U.S. counterparts and the deployment of new surveillance technologies.
The secretary was quick to acknowledge that the achievements would not have been possible without the active support of President Sheinbaum and the Ministries of National Defense, the Navy, the Interior, and the National Intelligence Center. He thanked each institution for “committing the necessary resources and expertise” to sustain momentum in anti-crime operations.
“Every laboratory we dismantle, every kilo of drugs seized, and every arrest made brings us one step closer to restoring peace and security in communities across Mexico,” Harfuch said. He pledged that operations would continue at full throttle through the coming months, with an emphasis on intelligence-led actions and targeted strikes against cartel infrastructure.
Security analysts have praised the scale of Harfuch’s report but caution that sustaining these gains will require long-term commitment. The adaptive nature of organized crime means that cartels may shift production methods or trafficking routes in response to enforcement pressure. Nonetheless, the figures presented mark a significant milestone for the Sheinbaum administration, which campaigned on a promise to restore public safety and weaken criminal enterprises.
As Mexico moves into the second half of 2025, all eyes will be on whether these hard-won results translate into measurable improvements in public perception of security and actual reductions in violence. For now, Harfuch’s figures stand as a stark indicator of the administration’s resolve—and its willingness to deploy every available tool in the battle against organized crime.