During a chemical analysis, authorities discovered that a portion of the 274-kilogram cocaine shipment, seized by the Tijuana Municipal Police and the Army and presented to the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) on October 13, primarily consisted of powdered milk. Criminals have previously used substitutes like wheat flour or plaster in place of the actual drug.
This cocaine seizure gained significant attention online on Sunday when anonymous sources, identifying as Tijuana police officers, sent electronic messages to the media, accusing certain higher-ups of stealing 126 kilograms of the drug.
The sources claimed that the shipment originally weighed 400 kilograms, but by the time authorities handed it over to the FGR, 126 kilograms had gone missing.
Investigators are currently looking into some officers, who were reassigned to areas with no public contact. However, ZETA confirmed that at least one senior officer involved remains active in their position, continuing to operate on the streets.
Discrepancy in Official Reports and Seizure Quantities
The Municipal Citizen Security Secretariat of Tijuana stated the operation, explaining that “officers apprehended a person transporting approximately 50 packages of a white powder resembling cocaine (…) on El Rosario Boulevard in the Santa Fe Third Section, Pórticos de San Antonio neighborhood.” The individual drove a stolen 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander at excessive speeds.
The bulletin from the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) provided more detail: “One detainee, one vehicle, and 274 packages of cocaine (weighing approximately 274 kg) were seized.” Both reports indicated that the FGR would determine the precise quantity and substance involved.
The arrest formed part of the Mexican State Security Strategy and involved personnel from the 2nd Military Zone (28th Infantry Battalion) and the Tijuana Municipal Public Security Directorate.
The officers, who were not patrolling together but remained close, spotted the Mitsubishi van leaving a plaza in Santa Fe. Jesús Omar Cornejo Morales, 33, drove erratically, prompting suspicion. After confirming the vehicle had been reported stolen, the officers intercepted him without notifying the central command. This detail did not appear in the official police report.
Upon discovering the large stash of what they believed to be cocaine, the officers faced a dilemma. “Regardless of their actions—whether they turned the suspect over to the FGR or let him go—they would have faced serious consequences.” To avoid any further complications, they called military personnel, who quickly arrived and took over the scene.
Almost immediately, the detainee’s phone began receiving numerous calls, and a fellow officer, not involved in the original arrest, arrived. This officer informed them that criminals demanded the release of both the suspect and the seized drugs in exchange for a payoff.
“One officer suggested keeping a portion of the drugs, but the arresting agents refused, fearing retaliation from the drug traffickers,” reported the Tijuana police. However, some officers mentioned that the FGR often releases drug dealers despite their arrests.
The officers who carried out the seizure forced their subordinates, uninvolved in the operation, to sign the informational report, causing tension within the department and delaying the detainee’s transfer to the authorities.
Alleged Theft of Cocaine Under Investigation
Sources claim that the truck originally carried 400 kilograms of cocaine, allegedly belonging to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The shipment had been stored in a safe house in Santa Fe, and Arellano Félix Cartel (CAF) members, still working with the CJNG, were tipped off about the impending raid. They were instructed to move the product, with one of them handling the transportation.
Reports suggest that corrupt police officers or cartel members working with the CAF took 126 kilograms of cocaine, leaving the remaining 274 kilograms behind. Cornejo Morales later received instructions to retrieve the vehicle from a plaza in Santa Fe.
Messages circulated on social media by supposed police officers claimed that two chiefs, with the last names Guerrero and Ibarra, had requested police assistance to secure the cocaine shipment that had been “planted.” Officer Ruiz Zárate allegedly attempted to recover the stolen drugs.
Investigators discovered that not only were 126 kilograms missing, but the remaining 274 kilograms had also been adulterated. As of Thursday, October 17, the FGR had not disclosed the percentage of cocaine in the packages.
Authorities are reviewing allegations of agent involvement in the theft, and the Municipal Syndicate and the Attorney General’s Office plan to address the investigation as it progresses.
Counterfeit Drug Seizures Becoming Common
Between July and October 2024, officials documented three instances of fake or adulterated drug seizures. This incident mirrors events from June 2008, when the Attorney General of Chiapas mistakenly announced the seizure of two tons of cocaine, only to later admit that the substance was powdered milk.
In March 2021, a similar incident occurred in Tijuana when authorities arrested a woman with 11 bricks of supposed cocaine. After analysis, only one kilogram turned out to be cocaine, while the rest was powdered milk.
Drug counterfeiters have increasingly targeted police officers and rival traffickers, swapping real drugs with fake packages during transportation or before handing them over to authorities.
In the most recent CAF case, on October 13, agents seized powdered milk heavily laced with cocaine. Another raid on October 10 uncovered flour packaged to resemble cocaine.
Federal agencies suspect that some traffickers and corrupt police officers switch out packages of cocaine before turning them in, later claiming the police were responsible for the missing drugs. However, local police maintain that this tampering often occurs within the FGR.
Fentanyl Seizure Unveils Further Drug Counterfeiting
On July 12, the Baja California Secretariat of Public Security announced the seizure of 60 kilograms of fentanyl and 400 kilograms of cocaine in a joint operation between the FESC, Sedena, and the National Guard in Tijuana. However, investigators discovered that 13 of the 455 packages contained plaster blocks disguised as cocaine.
The counterfeit drugs bore easily removable labels, a stark contrast to the original G2 branding, which remained intact.
In response, the FESC repackaged the shipment into pallets, but only the 13 blocks on one pallet had been tampered with, highlighting the extent of counterfeit drugs circulating in these operations.
Information from ZetaTijuana
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