They arrest a US citizen in Sonora who was carrying a millionaire drug shipment
Sonora authorities seized a shipment of methamphetamine hidden in a vehicle in which a US citizen was traveling
In a joint operation between the National Guard and the Mexican Army, Mexican authorities seized a shipment of 80 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in a vehicle. The seizure, made at the Sonoyta International Bridge, located in the General Plutarco Elias Calles municipality, represents a significant blow to organized crime operations on the northern border of Sonora.
During the vehicle inspection, agents detected anomalies in a shipment of wooden furniture, which led to a more detailed inspection using gamma ray technology.
Inside the furniture, authorities found packages containing a white powder that tested positive for methamphetamine, with an estimated weight of 80 kilos. The driver, a US man, was detained at the scene, although his identity was not released. The Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) reported that the estimated value of the seized drugs is 21.3 million pesos (1.1 million dollars).
The individual was registered in the National Registry of Arrests (RND), and both the vehicle and the drugs were seized for analysis.
The seizure in Sonoyta adds to a series of recent operations against drug trafficking in the state. In the municipality of Huatabampo, another driver was arrested while transporting 16 kilos of fentanyl hidden in the cabin of his vehicle. The subject, identified as Luis Alberto, was traveling from Culiacan, Sinaloa, to Nogales. The vehicle had Maine license plates, and the drug packages were marked "BB1" and "KFIR." Also in Nogales, a man identified as Manuel Antonio, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, was arrested after a police chase. The suspect was traveling with three other people who managed to escape. Inside the vehicle, authorities found more than 2,000 doses of drugs, including crystal meth and cocaine, as well as long guns, a Glock pistol, and an AK-47 rifle. The vehicle was also reported stolen in the United States.
The Sonora State Attorney General's Office (FGJES) reported that the detainee claimed to be a member of a criminal cell operating in the border region.
Previous Arrests of US Citizens
During 2025, at least four US citizens have been arrested in Sonora in drug trafficking-related operations. On May 5, Carlos or Luis Everardo, 25, also from Phoenix, was arrested in San Luis Rio Colorado in possession of more than 300 ballistic cartridges of various calibers.
Days later, on May 9, a 52-year-old man from Texas was arrested in Puerto Penasco. He had an arrest warrant for alleged participation in drug trafficking activities and was handed over to US authorities to face charges in the District Court of El Paso, Texas.