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Mazapil, Zacatecas — In yet another dark chapter for Mexico’s mining sector, insecurity and cartel dominance have once again taken center stage. The notorious Los Cabreras cartel, hailing from Durango, delivered a significant blow by seizing a fortune in precious metals from Peñasquito Mine, operated by U.S. multinational Newmont. The cartel took six loaded containers filled with gold, silver, zinc, and copper, disappearing into the night on Saturday, November 2, under the cloak of violence and impunity.
The heist unfolded in the hard-to-reach territory of Mazapil, a municipality in the arid northern stretches of Zacatecas. Since 2020, Los Cabreras has tightened its grip on this region with alleged backing from corrupt local authorities, exploiting the area’s frequent state-level corruption and making cartel control a fact of life.
In the pre-dawn hours, six cargo trucks filled with Newmont’s mined resources were making their way down Highway 54, bound for Saltillo, Coahuila. Near the small community of San Tiburcio, heavily armed operatives from Operativo MZ intercepted the trucks. In a swift, organized attack, they forced the drivers to relinquish both their vehicles and the multimillion-dollar cargo.
Authorities sprang into action shortly after the theft was reported. General Juan Manríquez Moreno, head of Zacatecas’s National Guard, confirmed that within an hour, elements of the Mexican Army and state police located and secured the cargo trucks and their operators. However, authorities were unable to locate the trucks carrying the precious metals, leading to suspicions that other trucks had been pre-arranged to carry them away from the area.
Despite the immediate search efforts on Saturday, spanning Peñasquito Mine and the surrounding areas, the cargo trucks and their contents remained missing by day’s end. According to Manríquez, while the thieves were thwarted in taking the vehicles, they managed to escape with their real prize: Newmont’s irreplaceable minerals.
Los Cabreras has transformed natural resources and transport routes into revenue streams, turning Peñasquito—the largest gold mine in Mexico and the second-largest in silver production—into a prime target. Over the years, nearby mines in Concepción del Oro, Fresnillo, and Melchor Ocampo have also fallen prey to similar attacks and extortion by this organized criminal syndicate.
In northern Zacatecas, Luis, known as El Mudo or El Azteca, and his brother El Pariente lead Los Cabreras’ operations. Their faction, known as Los Mudos or Grupo Azteca, answers directly to cartel lieutenants El Zarco (also known as Don Olegario) and Alejandro Cabrera Sarabia, identified as El02, and José Luis Cabrera Sarabia, also known as El03. This faction is a key driver of the relentless violence casting a long shadow over Zacatecas.
Beyond the material loss, these robberies deal a severe blow to investor confidence and mining activities in the region. Experts warn that ongoing attacks and extortion could disrupt local economic stability, discouraging future investment in one of Mexico’s most resource-rich areas.
This latest attack underscores the gravity of Mexico’s insecurity crisis, where cartel interests now dictate terms in the mining sector. Amidst mounting pressure, calls for a crackdown are intensifying.
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5 Comments
As long as it US, Canadian or European mining companies that are targeted, I say great job. They’ve been stealing those resources for years. And I say stealing because under the Mexican constitution, natural resources belong to the country, therefore shouldn’t be taken out of the country by foreign companies when mined. The had signed leases with the old and corrupt ruling political parties of the pan and pri that were for life. AMLO changed that to 15 years (if I remember correctly). Even though it’s unconstitutional AMLO didn’t just want to take it from them because the old governments had leased them the land for mining a gave them the permits. So he forced them to sign the new leases with the promise of those who didn’t sign were going to get it just taken, and all legally since it’s violating the mexican constitution. They all signed.
Thanks, I wasn’t aware of the lease. I hear you about Mexico’s precious stones. This concerned me on a few levels.
Unbelievably, two guards were the only security for such a valuable load. This tells me the mining company was already being extorted for protection and felt comfortable with two guards. I can promise you the cartel already had a foreign buyer.
Interesting. I’ve been doing some due diligence regarding mining investment in Mexico and I didn’t know that was the law. Apparently international investors are being deceived by the Mexican government. You, and the armed attackers, just helped me decide to invest in resource development elsewhere. Mineral development requires a great deal of patience and money resulting in mining operations which obviously can’t be moved so you must be careful. I’ll share the insight. Thanks (sincerely).
That’s a good choice.
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