Mexican fuel theft gang dismantled in major operation

Thirty-two people have been arrested in an operation targeting one of the main criminal organisations responsible for fuel theft in central Mexico, authorities said.

The gang stole fuel by drilling into pipelines and then storing it in warehouses, according to the security and civilian protection secretary.

Omar García Harfuch said gang members would then sell the fuel illegally across Mexico City and the states of Hidalgo and Querétaro.

In a press conference on Sunday, García Harfuch said some gang members had also forged documents and maintained connections with local authorities to facilitate operations.

He identified suspects Cirio Sergio "N" and Luis Miguel "N" as two of the main alleged leaders of the criminal organisation tasked with coordinating the extraction and distribution of the fuel.

Another man, named as Aurelio N, was identified as a leading "logistic and financial operator of the criminal cell," García Harfuch alleged.

The operation was the result of six months of investigative work to identify and locate gang members, authorities said.

García Harfuch also said 12 properties that served as the gang's operation centres were seized, alongside nearly 50 vehicles, 36 firearms and 16 million pesos (£619,464) in cash.

Various animals and exotic species – including a lion cub, a jaguar cub and two spider monkeys - were also found at the properties.

In an update on X on Sunday evening, he said "these animals were in risky conditions" and were now being taken care of by the federal attorney for environmental protection's office.