A joint operation of state and federal forces has managed to dismantle a sophisticated illicit communication network that operated from inside the Social Reintegration Center (Cereso) of Pachuca. The intervention, described as a forceful action against intramural organized crime, revealed a system allegedly dedicated to extortion and small-scale drug trafficking, exposing vulnerabilities in prison control.
The criminal device uncovered
The investigation, coordinated by the state Secretariat of Public Security under the command of Salvador Cruz Neri, and with tactical support from the National Guard and the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena), allowed the securing of a technological and weapons. The seizure included 54 cell phones, 89 SIM cards, 63 USB devices, 20 micro USB adapters and 13 micro SD adapters. This material shows a communication infrastructure designed to maintain constant contact with collaborators abroad, manage extortion payments and coordinate the distribution of narcotics.
But the discovery was not limited to digital. The search also located 359 spell points, artifacts considered high risk due to their ability to generate lethal violence within the facility. The massive presence of these improvised weapons represents a direct threat to the integrity of administrative staff, guards and even other inmates, configuring a scenario of latent ungovernability.
Context and consequences of the discovery
Along with the illegal hardware, substantial doses of marijuana and crystal methamphetamine (known as ‘crystal’) were seized, along with pipes and electronic cigarettes used for consumption. This discovery confirms that criminal activities within the prison went beyond telephone blackmail, also encompassing the internal supply of drugs.
This case is not an isolated incident. It represents a recurring pattern in several prison systems in the country, where centers intended for social rehabilitation become operational nodes for criminal organizations. The ability to introduce such a quantity of prohibited technology suggests systemic flaws in the review protocols or the possible complicity of some elements.
The authorities have indicated that all the seized objects were made available to the corresponding Public Ministry to integrate the investigation folders. In addition, they have warned that these types of surprise searches will continue to be carried out periodically in the different prisons in the state. The message is clear: they seek to regain absolute control over these spaces.
The successful dismantling of this network is a significant step. However, it raises uncomfortable questions about how that criminal infrastructure was built from scratch within a supposedly guarded space. An effective response not only requires sporadic operations, but also a profound reform of the internal mechanisms that allow these illicit operations.
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