Mexican navy seizes 1,500 pounds of meth as Trump floats cartel strikes on Mexican soil
Mexico’s navy says it dismantled three clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in recent operations in Durango, Sinaloa and Michoacán, seizing about 700 kilograms (1,543 pounds) of finished meth and tens of thousands of liters and kilos of chemical precursors and equipment, which officials called a major blow to cartel logistics. The raids, documented in navy video and photos, came as the U.S. steps up a lethal maritime campaign against alleged drug‑running boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that has already killed more than 100 people in over 20 strikes. Against that backdrop, President Trump told Fox News he believes the U.S. has 'knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by water' and vowed to 'start now hitting land' in operations against cartels, asserting that 'the cartels are running Mexico.' Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had a 'very good conversation' with Trump and told him U.S. intervention on Mexican territory is 'not necessary' and would violate the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and claimed he 'understood' her position. The juxtaposition of Mexico touting its own raids while Washington openly talks about potential cross‑border action underscores rising tension over how far the U.S. is prepared to go militarily in its drug war and how much pressure the Sheinbaum government will face to show it can tackle cartels on its own.
📌 Key Facts
- Mexican navy dismantled three clandestine meth labs in Durango, Sinaloa and Michoacán, seizing about 700 kg of finished meth plus roughly 9,700 liters and more than 1,800 kg of chemical precursors and lab equipment.
- The operations were announced January 12, 2026, with SEMAR saying the labs were destroyed and calling the seizures a significant blow to organized crime’s logistical structures.
- The seizures come as the U.S. has carried out more than 20 strikes on alleged drug‑ferrying boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, killing over 100 people, and as President Trump threatens to expand anti‑cartel operations from maritime to land targets in Mexico.
- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she told Trump in a recent call that U.S. military intervention against cartels on Mexican soil is unnecessary and would violate Mexico’s sovereignty, and she claimed he accepted that argument.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2021, age-adjusted methamphetamine-involved overdose death rates in the US were 14.2 per 100,000 for American Indian or Alaska Native individuals, 4.8 for non-Hispanic White, 3.4 for Hispanic, 1.4 for non-Hispanic Black, and 0.6 for non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander, compared to population percentages of approximately 1% for American Indian or Alaska Native, 60% for non-Hispanic White, 19% for Hispanic, 13% for non-Hispanic Black, and 7% for non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Drug Overdose Deaths in the US During the COVID-19 Pandemic — JAMA Network Open
In 2022, the poverty rate in Michoacán, Mexico, was 41.7%, compared to 42.9% in Mexico State and lower rates in northern states like Sinaloa at around 28.3%, with national poverty at 36.3% in 2022, potentially contributing to economic conditions that facilitate cartel recruitment in high-poverty areas.
Mexico: poverty rate 2022, by state — Statista
Mexican cartels are the primary producers and suppliers of methamphetamine to the US, with over 90% of seized methamphetamine at the southwest border originating from Mexico-based production using precursor chemicals sourced mainly from China.
US demand for methamphetamine is a primary economic factor driving Mexican cartels to produce and traffic the drug, with low production costs (around 10 cents per pill) and high US retail prices enabling significant profits despite enforcement efforts.
The Expansion and Diversification of Mexican Cartels: Dynamic New Actors and Markets — IISS
Cartel-related violence in Mexico has contributed to increased migration to the US, with studies showing that rises in homicide rates in Mexican municipalities correlate with higher emigration rates, particularly from violence-affected areas like Michoacán and Sinaloa.
Rise in Mexican cartel violence drives record migration to the US — Reuters
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