“We would be talking by far the largest seizure of cocaine in Mexico City”, surpassing a seizure of one ton that occurred a year ago, said the head of the capital office, Omar García Harfuch, at a press conference.
The cache was discovered by police officers and the local prosecutor’s office when it was transported in two trailers on a highway, on the border with the neighboring State of Mexico.
The drug was found in hidden compartments, García Harfuch added, indicating that another vehicle that was escorting the trucks was also immobilized.
According to initial investigations, the shipment originated in Colombia and was transferred by sea to Puerto Escondido (Oaxaca state), in the South Pacific.
The journey continued by land to Mexico City, where it was planned to distribute part of the cocaine in the Tepito neighborhood, in the heart of the capital, and then continue transit to its final destination in Los Angeles, United States, said the official.
Four people from the state of Durango (northwest) were arrested in the operation, three of whom have criminal records.
García Harfuch anticipated that the detainees would belong to a criminal organization that operates in Durango and in the neighboring state of Sinaloa.
This is the second major operation against drug cartels to take place in Mexico City so far in July.
Two weeks ago, a heavy police deployment in the southern end of the city culminated in the arrest of 14 suspects, two kidnapping victims released, in addition to the seizure of weapons and drugs.
Of those arrested, four were released. The rest remain jailed on suspicion of belonging to the powerful Sinaloa cartel.
Although the local government boasts that Mexico City is one of the safest cities in the country, analysts point out that it is a key logistics center for large drug cartels and the main domestic drug market.
