Drug Cartel Sets Off Coordinated Bomb Attacks in Western Mexico, Killing Six
MEXICO CITY — A drug cartel in western Mexico set off a series of seven roadway bombs that killed four police officers and two civilians, according to officials. The explosions, which occurred on Tuesday night in the township of Tlajomulco, left craters in the road and destroyed several vehicles.
State prosecutor Luis Méndez described the blasts as “a trap” set by the cartel to target law enforcement personnel. It is the first known instance of a Mexican cartel using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to kill police officers. The incident highlights the escalating military-style tactics employed by the country’s drug cartels.
The two civilians who died were in a passing vehicle when the IEDs detonated. Méndez suggested that the bombs may have been remotely detonated, noting that the blast occurred at the cartel’s desired time. The attack also left 12 civilians, including three children, wounded, some of whom are in serious condition. Experts had to defuse an eighth IED that failed to detonate.
Governor Enrique Alfaro described the incident as a “brutal terror attack” at a news conference. He attributed the deaths to an unnamed drug cartel and temporarily suspended police escorts for volunteer search groups to ensure the safety of civilians. The cartels have increasingly targeted volunteer search groups looking for missing persons and burial sites, often provided with tips from anonymous sources.
While Alfaro did not name the suspected culprits, the Jalisco drug cartel has experience in using IEDs and bomb-dropping drones. In a separate incident on Tuesday, another cartel used a car bomb to kill a National Guard officer in Guanajuato state. Additionally, protesters allied with a different drug gang clashed with security forces in Guerrero state on Monday.
The Guadalajara area has witnessed violent confrontations between factions of the Jalisco cartel, which previously employed IEDs. In February 2022, an army vehicle was damaged by a roadside mine in Aguililla, injuring ten soldiers. Another IED later killed a farmer in his pickup truck. Special squads of Mexican army troops equipped with metal detectors and bomb suits were deployed to the area, uncovering dozens of explosive devices.
The Jalisco cartel has been engaged in a protracted battle with the local Viagras gang for control of the region. This conflict has involved trenches, homemade armored cars, and bomb-carrying drones. The use of drones by cartels has caused significant terror in Michoacan, with the impact of the drone explosions often destroying structures.
The recent IED attack in Tlajomulco poses a significant setback for volunteer search groups, who rely on anonymous tips to locate mass grave sites. These groups have long operated under an understanding with cartels, focusing solely on finding the remains of their missing relatives for a proper burial. However, six volunteer search activists have been killed since 2021, and the cartels have been suspected of intimidating and targeting searchers.
The Mexican government faces an open challenge from the drug cartels, as they openly employ military-style tactics to maintain control and silence those who seek justice for their missing loved ones. The use of IEDs and other forms of violence highlight the need for increased security measures and efforts to combat the influence and power of these criminal organizations.