Security forces dismantled a clandestine drug hangar near Estación Coahuila in the Valle de Mexicali on June 6, seizing an ultralight aircraft and 20 kilograms of cocaine while arresting a 19-year-old suspect wanted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The operation, dubbed “Operativo Valle,” involved federal, state, and municipal agencies acting on a citizen tip. Agents found the hidden hangar, which was used to store narcotics and conduct illicit flight operations in the remote agricultural area southeast of Mexicali’s urban center.
Cocaine, Altered Aircraft, and Two Arrests
Inside and around the hangar, agents recovered the ultralight aircraft, which had altered serial numbers. They also seized 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of cocaine. A 52-year-old man was arrested at the scene and turned over to federal prosecutors for operating the unregistered aircraft.
The second arrest was Raúl “N,” a 19-year-old from San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora. He was captured on an active homicide warrant. According to reporting by Proceso, the suspect is also formally wanted by the DEA, and Mexican authorities said they would begin the legal process to comply with U.S. requirements. The hangar is believed to have been operated by the criminal group known as “Los Rusos.”
Stolen Vehicles and Fleeing Suspects
Agents also recovered a stolen pickup truck that had a foreign theft report on file. An abandoned panel van was found nearby after armed individuals fled the scene. Authorities did not report any injuries or additional captures related to those who escaped.
The Valle de Mexicali, a sprawling agricultural zone stretching east and south from the city toward the Colorado River delta, has long been used by drug trafficking organizations. Remote dirt airstrips and isolated farm structures provide cover for narcotics flights. Estación Coahuila sits roughly 50 kilometers (31 miles) southeast of downtown Mexicali, deep in the valley’s farming communities.
Cross-Border Enforcement Continues
The DEA’s interest in the 19-year-old suspect points to active U.S. involvement in targeting cartel operatives along the Baja California border corridor. Mexicali sits directly across from Calexico, California, and the region is a known transit point for drugs moving northward.
This story was first reported by Jornada BC and Proceso.