A cartel message accusing Baja California state police of stealing drugs was found directly outside an entrance to the Second Military Zone headquarters in Tijuana. The threatening note appeared in Parque 18 de Marzo in the Colonia Morelos neighborhood, placed inside a white cooler containing pieces of pork meat, a known cartel intimidation tactic.
The narcomensaje targeted members of the Fuerza Estatal de Seguridad Ciudadana (FESC), Baja California’s state security force. It accused officers of robbing a drug shipment belonging to the cartel. No group explicitly claimed authorship, but the deliberate placement of the message at a military installation marks a provocative act aimed at both security forces and the armed forces.
A Deliberate Location Choice
The Second Military Zone is one of the most important military installations in northwestern Mexico. It oversees operations across Baja California and plays a central role in the federal government’s security strategy in the border region. Choosing the base’s entrance as the backdrop for a cartel threat was no accident. It was a calculated move to maximize visibility and send a message to multiple branches of government.
Colonia Morelos sits in central Tijuana, close to the Zona Río commercial district that many residents and visitors know well. Parque 18 de Marzo is a public space frequented by families and pedestrians throughout the day.
History of Cartel-Police Friction in Tijuana
This is not the first time cartels have accused Tijuana-area law enforcement of stealing drug shipments. In late 2023, a similar dispute between a cartel and corrupt police officers led to a killing spree that drew international attention. In that case, gunmen targeted both a federal prosecutors’ office and a state prosecutors’ office with gunfire, and at least two officers suspected of the theft were murdered. Three additional police officers were killed in what appeared to be broader retaliation.
The FESC was created as a central pillar of Baja California’s public safety strategy, combining state-level police functions under a single command. Corruption allegations against its officers, delivered publicly through cartel messaging, raise serious questions about institutional integrity during a period of persistent violence in the city.
Tijuana recorded more than 1,500 homicides in 2023, making it one of the most dangerous cities in Mexico. Tensions between criminal organizations and law enforcement remain a constant factor in the security landscape.
The incident was first reported by Zeta Tijuana.