The Attorney General's Office (FGR) of Mexico reported that 47 people have been arrested so far, allegedly linked to the criminal activities detected at Rancho Izaguirre, a property located in the municipality of Teuchitlan, identified by search collectives as a possible “extermination camp” linked to drug trafficking.

According to the federal institution, the arrests are part of an ongoing investigation that includes additional arrest warrants being executed in accordance with judicial procedures.

“To date, 47 people have been arrested, and there are outstanding arrest warrants that are being served,” the Attorney General's Office stated in a press release detailing the progress of the investigations.

The property, known as Rancho Izaguirre, is under investigation following the discovery of various pieces of evidence related to possible criminal activities, including fragments of bone remains, clothing, and ballistic evidence.

A criminal recruitment and training center

According to the Attorney General's Office, the investigations carried out so far have determined that the site was primarily used as a training center for people recruited by criminal organizations. Authorities indicated that shooting practice, physical exercises, and tactical simulations were conducted at the site. An area set up as a “tactical house,” designed to train cover maneuvers, movement, and reaction in simulated scenarios, was even found. The prosecutor's office also indicated that there is evidence that people were forcibly recruited and stripped of their belongings upon arrival at the location, including clothing and personal items, before being dressed in uniforms or different garments as part of their integration into the criminal group. During the processing of the property,Experts have located various pieces of evidence that are now being analyzed in specialized laboratories at the Federal Forensic Center, as well as at regional facilities located in Jalisco. So far, authorities report that the comprehensive processing of the site is more than 64% complete.

Findings and questions from collectives

Among the evidence found at the site were identified fragments and multiple fragments of bone remains, although so far only one genetic profile has been obtained, corresponding to a male individual.

The tests have been compared with databases of relatives of missing persons, but at the moment a conclusive identification has not been achieved.

The prosecutor's office indicated that the analyses are ongoing as new genetic profiles are integrated. The Rancho Izaguirre case came to light in March 2025, when the Guerreros Buscadores de Jalisco collective reported the discovery of approximately 1,800 pieces of evidence, including shoes, clothing, and personal belongings, on the property. Following this discovery, the Mexican government acknowledged that the site had been used as a recruitment and training center by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of the most powerful criminal organizations in the country. However, a year after the initial discovery, members of the collective asserted that they continue to find human remains and clothing in the vicinity of the site. The National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) joined these reports, issuing a recommendation that pointed to alleged omissions by state authorities in securing the site and properly handling the evidence.

In response to the criticism, the Attorney General's Office (FGR) asserted that the recovered evidence is being analyzed under scientific protocols and reiterated that the investigations continue with the aim of clarifying the facts, identifying the victims, and guaranteeing justice for the families of missing persons.