Baja California’s Institutional Coordination Forces raided two properties in Mexicali this week as part of operations targeting a Sinaloa Cartel cell suspected in recent fatal attacks on state police officers. Authorities executed court-issued search warrants at both locations, seizing firearms, drugs, ballistic vests, and a stolen vehicle from California.
The first raid took place in Colonia Reacomodo, where officers recovered a Jeep that had been reported stolen in California. The second operation targeted a property in Colonia Valle Dorado, where investigators found three long-barrel firearms, tactical ballistic vests, and an unspecified quantity of drugs.
Weapons to Be Tested Against Police Attack Evidence
Authorities said the seized firearms will undergo ballistics testing to determine whether they were used in recent attacks on members of the FESC (Fuerza Estatal de Seguridad Ciudadana), Baja California’s state police force. Multiple FESC officers have been killed in targeted attacks in the Mexicali area in recent weeks.
Baja California State Security Secretary Laureano Carrillo stated publicly that authorities are closing in on those responsible for the police killings. The operations were carried out by the state’s coordinated security task force, which combines state and federal law enforcement resources.
Sinaloa Cartel’s Presence in Baja California
The Sinaloa Cartel has long maintained a presence in Baja California, particularly in the Mexicali corridor. According to U.S. and Mexican intelligence assessments, the cartel controls key “plaza” zones along the border, including Mexicali, as part of a network that stretches across the Sonora and Baja California border region. The organization has been operating since 1987 and is considered one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal groups.
The discovery of a California-stolen vehicle at one of the raided properties points to cross-border criminal logistics. Stolen vehicles from the United States are frequently trafficked into Mexico for use by organized crime groups in operations and as everyday transportation.
Colonia Reacomodo and Colonia Valle Dorado are both residential neighborhoods within the city of Mexicali, located south of the Calexico border crossing. The raids come during a period of heightened security operations across the Mexicali Valley and urban zone.
No arrests were reported in connection with the raids. Authorities have not disclosed how many officers have been killed in the recent attacks or provided a timeline for the ballistics results.
This story was first reported by The Baja Post.