Gustavo Castillo García
La Jornada newspaper
Sunday, September 7, 2025, p. 3
The arrest of the vice Admiral Manuel Roberto Farías Laguna, for the alleged illegal trafficking of the United States to Mexico, reflects that “a policy of zero tolerance to the bad practices is maintained,” said the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) when confirming the operation where, in addition to the officer, executives of companies and officials were arrested, among others Francisco Antonio Martínez, former director of administration of the Customs Administration of Tampico, Functions in May.
The Navy has filed at least four complaints before the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) against Almirantes and other administration controls passed by the alleged commission of bribery crimes and irregularities in the management of public resources.
The group’s operations linked to Farías Laguna – political support of the former Secretary of the Navy in the previous federal government, Rafael Ojeda Durán – were discovered last March, when the tank ship was detected Challenge Procyon With 10 million illegal fuel that was discharged in that customs, which entered Mexico as additives and not as hydrocarbons, to avoid the payment of taxes.
The head of the Ministry of Citizen Security and Protection (SSPC), Omar García Harfuch, anticipated that the details of the operation where the Navy command, businessmen and officials were presented will be presented this noon by himself at a conference.
So far, the investigation headed by César Olivares Aparicio, head of the Special Prosecutor for Crimes in Hydrocarbons of the Prosecutor’s Office Specialized in Organized Crime (FEMDO), and a man close to García Harfuch, has resulted in the capture of seven people, including Farías Laguna, who last May was appointed commander of the 12 Naval Zone, based in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.
After the arrest of Farías Laguna, SEMAR pointed out that for the naval institution its most valuable asset is its people, and that “it maintains a policy of zero tolerance to bad practices.” He even stressed that the institution honors “who are conducted with honor, duty, loyalty and patriotism. In the Navy the law is for all.”
Meanwhile, García Harfuch spread through X that, “as a result of research works after the assurance of 10 million liters of hydrocarbon in Tampico, Tamaulipas” in March, elements of the Navy, the FGR and the SSPC arrested companies of companies and some public servants, who had an arrest warrant.
He pointed out that “the investigation process is still ongoing and we will continue working to detain all those involved in this crime as part of the strategy against corruption and impunity of the federal government.”
Last July, President Claudia Sheinbaum said the investigations on the Fiscal Huachicol They provided information and that it would reach “until the last consequences. Our goal is that everything is legal, as in other cases.”
The inquiries made by the Special Prosecutor of Crimes in Hydrocarbons resulted in the realization of operations in the recent five days, and thus seven people were arrested, according to information obtained from federal officials. In the National Registry of Detentions, he already realizes the apprehensions of the Vice Admiral Farías Laguna and Francisco Javier Antonio Martínez.
