The dismantling of a narco-laboratory in Hidalgo, considered one of the largest detected in the central region of the country, represents a hard blow against organized crime. The operation, spearheaded by federal and state forces, resulted in the seizure of more than 50,000 doses of synthetic drug “Crystal” prepared for distribution, along with the industrial infrastructure used for large-scale production.
This operation occurred in the town of Hueyotlipa, within the municipality of Acatlán, where elements from the Ministry of Public Security (SSP), the Mexican Army, the National Guard (GN), and the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Hidalgo (PGJEH) conducted four simultaneous raids. The deployment enabled the discovery of a clandestine complex outfitted with camps, vehicles, weapons, and specialized equipment for manufacturing drugs.
During the operation, authorities secured several items used for narcotic production, including:
- Nine industrial boilers with high-pressure condensers
- 47 LP gas tanks
- Three electric power plants
- Seven water pumps
- Eight anti-gas masks
- Dozens of metal utensils
In addition to the above, authorities seized essential chemicals including:
- More than 1,300 kilos of caustic soda
- 312 kilos of tartaric acid
- 20 kilos of sodium hydroxide
- 4,200 liters of hemodialysis acid along with unidentified liquid substances
The most significant finding was the finished drug: 16 kilos of “Crystal”, equivalent to 52,800 doses, in addition to five 1,000-liter containers filled with product under processing. The authorities also confiscated two trucks, long weapons, loaders, ballistic vests, and communication radios. A suspect identified by the initials GSP was arrested at the location.
The volume of chemicals, equipment, and seized drugs signifies the industrial production capacity of this narcotratory. According to official sources, the confiscation is equivalent to tens of thousands of doses destined for the illegal market, establishing this operation as one of the most significant in Hidalgo in recent years.
Security sources indicated that the remote location facilitated the discreet operation of the criminal network, minimizing the detection risk posed by authorities. The presence of camps comprising 11 tents indicates that at least a dozen personnel were engaged in constant operations at the site.
This Hidalgo operation coincided with a separate raid in Huitzilac, Morelos, where security forces discovered a storage facility for illegal timber. While the crimes differ, both incidents underline the diversification of organized crime in the central region, encompassing activities from huachicol (fuel theft) to illicit logging and synthetic drug production.
In Hidalgo, local authorities have observed a resurgence of activities tied to drug trafficking in rural municipalities like Acatlán, Zacualtipán, and Molango, where the mountainous terrain facilitates the establishment of clandestine laboratories.