The Cabrera Sarabia Empire Falls: The ‘Murciélagos’ Take Control of Durango

Less than two weeks after the deployment of an elite military force in Durango, the state is undergoing an unexpected transformation; what had been part of the daily landscape for years—lookouts monitoring street corners, drug dens operating in broad daylight, and luxury SUVs carrying armed men—now seems to have vanished. 

Nearly 700 specialized Mexican Army troops were sent to dismantle the structure of the Cabrera Sarabia clan, an organization with over three decades of criminal activity and direct ties to the group led by Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. The effects have been immediate. 

In municipalities such as Gómez Palacio, Lerdo, and San Dimas, drug sales points have been abandoned. In areas like El Salto and Guadalupe Victoria, extortion rates have dropped for the first time in years. Even in historically controlled areas like Santiago Papasquiaro, lookouts have scaled back their activity to a minimum, under strict orders to keep a low profile. 

Testimonies gathered in the region describe a radical shift: the teenagers who used to monitor the streets are gone, and the flashy SUVs have disappeared, replaced only by the vehicles of working-class residents. Yet, this retreat cannot be explained solely by the military presence. 

An anonymous tip line managed by elite forces has triggered a flood of information from the public; details regarding the criminal group’s safe houses, front companies, and operatives are reaching the authorities directly. People had always known the facts, but previously they had nowhere to report them without putting themselves at risk. 

Meanwhile, on social media, profiles linked to rival groups are celebrating the situation, showing empty roads where criminal checkpoints once stood. Territorial control—at least for the moment—appears to have fractured. However, uncertainty remains. 

Analysts warn that a mobilization of this scale goes beyond routine operations; the magnitude of the deployment suggests the State is seeking to avert a major destabilization scenario. 

Behind this offensive lie highly specialized units—forces known as “murciélagos” (experts in night operations), infantry battalions trained for territorial control, and armored units with offensive capabilities. In just a few days, weapons, explosives, vehicles, and properties linked to the group have already been seized. 

Checkpoints have also been set up on key routes to prevent escapes and potential narco-blockades. The State aims to strike at the financial, operational, and territorial structure of the Cabreras Arabia group. 

Yet, the story is far from over, as organized crime in Mexico has repeatedly demonstrated its capacity to adapt. We are left wondering whether this marks the beginning of a genuine weakening of one of the region’s oldest criminal groups, or merely a tactical pause.

• Who are the “Los Murciélagos” special forces?
  The so-called “Los Murciélagos” are an elite unit trained to move silently in the dark and operate under extreme conditions. The unit includes snipers, explosives specialists, and mountain combat teams, as well as soldiers skilled in infiltration and exfiltration.

Source: Milenio