Tijuana’s municipal watchdog announced the suspension of six police officers on July 1 after they tested positive for illegal drugs in two consecutive rounds of screening. The officers consumed cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamines, and marijuana, according to the city’s síndica procuradora, Teresita Balderas Beltrán.
The six officers were identified by their first names: Elías, Luis, Óscar, Missael, Ángel, and Edgar. All now face formal separation proceedings that could permanently remove them from the force.
Two-Stage Testing Caught 6 Out of 1,062 Officers
The city conducted toxicological screenings from August 20 to 22, covering 1,062 active municipal police officers. In the first round, 22 officers tested positive for one or more substances. Those 22 then underwent a confirmatory blood test, now required under updated Mexican technical standards for police screening.
Of the 22 who initially failed, six also failed the confirmatory blood test. Those six are the officers now facing separation. The remaining 16 who passed the second test were cleared to return to duty.
Part of a Broader Pattern of Police Accountability
The suspensions are the latest in a long series of disciplinary actions within Tijuana’s police department. In early 2025, the city had already suspended nearly 200 officers since the current administration took office in late 2024, with 18 of those suspected of ties to organized crime. That wave of suspensions came under a broader anti-corruption program overseen by the Municipal Public Safety Secretariat (SSPCM).
Tijuana’s police force has faced persistent credibility problems. In 2024, a cartel killed at least six officers after a group of cops allegedly stole cocaine from a stash house. In a separate case in October 2025, 14 Baja California state police agents were suspended after roughly 180 kilos of cocaine went missing during an operation in Ojo de Agua.
The two-stage drug testing protocol, with its confirmatory blood test requirement, represents a procedural upgrade. By publicly disclosing the results, Balderas Beltrán’s office is applying institutional pressure on a department that has roughly 2,200 active officers serving a city of more than 1.6 million residents.
The SSPCM will continue investigating the six officers. Their cases will proceed through the city’s administrative separation process.
This story was first reported by Punto Norte.