The Mexican Navy incinerated 4,495 kilograms of cocaine at a military facility in Los Cabos on April 23, removing an estimated 9 million doses from circulation. The destruction took place at the Marine Infantry Battalion No. 403 naval polygon, under supervision by the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR).
FGR chemists confirmed the substance was cocaine hydrochloride before the burn. Federal, state, and municipal officials attended the ceremony as witnesses. The Cabo San Lucas Naval Sector coordinated the operation.
Drugs Seized Over a Year Ago
The destroyed cocaine had been seized during multiple naval operations conducted in March 2025. Authorities held the drugs in evidence for more than a year before carrying out the incineration. The FGR’s internal control body oversaw the chain of custody throughout.
At roughly 4.5 metric tons, the haul is one of the larger single destructions of narcotics recorded in Baja California Sur. The cocaine’s street value was not disclosed by authorities, though wholesale cocaine in Mexico typically ranges from $15,000 to $25,000 per kilogram, placing the shipment’s potential value in the tens of millions of dollars.
Los Cabos Sits on a Major Transit Route
The southern tip of the Baja California peninsula has long served as a waypoint for drug shipments moving north along the Pacific coast. Cocaine produced in South America travels by boat, and sometimes by semi-submersible, toward staging areas along Mexico’s western coastline before being moved overland toward the U.S. border.
This destruction comes after a busy period for the Mexican Navy. In February 2026, naval forces intercepted a semi-submersible west of Isla Clarión carrying over 4.5 tons of cocaine, with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard. That same month, a second narco sub was stopped near Manzanillo, Colima, with approximately 4 tons of cocaine on board.
The Los Cabos corridor sees heavy naval patrols despite being one of Mexico’s top tourist destinations. The Cabo San Lucas Naval Sector operates independently from the civilian port and resort areas along the tourist corridor between Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo.
First reported by BCS Noticias.