Military fugitives for fuel smuggling in Matamoros

Three Army officers are wanted for allowing the illegal entry of 144 million liters of hydrocarbons.

The network of corruption in Mexican customs now affects the Ministry of National Defense. The newspaper Reforma revealed that the Attorney General’s Office is seeking to arrest three members of the Army for their alleged participation in the sale of 144 million liters of fuel at the customs in Matamoros, Tamaulipas.

The soldiers are on the run. They are part of a list of 13 people – including soldiers, sailors and businessmen – with arrest warrants. Seven have already been arrested.

RelatedMilitary targeted for smuggling at Matamoros customs

The designated

The accused with military rank are Lieutenant Colonel Armando Barrera Trujillo and Blas Pedro Sarabia García, who were heads of customs between 2024 and 2026, and military police lieutenant Jorge García García, former deputy director of customs operations. Barrera and Sarabia have filed injunctions against the blocking of their bank accounts.

The plot was headed by Armando III Riestra Fernández, owner of Servicios Aduanales JR, imprisoned since January 2026 in the Altiplano prison. His company processed permits to import 144 million liters of fuel hidden as a calcium chloride solution. The importers were Jumandi Group and Ferroservicios.

“This criminal organization maintains a network of corruption that includes personnel from the military forces, such as the former head of the Matamoros customs, Armando Barrera Trujillo, Lieutenant Colonel of Sedena… and the current head, Blas Pedro Sarabia García,” Reforma cites in the arrest warrant.

The background of the case

Part of the fuel was smuggled after the Challenge Procyon ship was seized at Tampico customs. The ship declared additives, but was transporting hydrocarbons. That discovery uncovered a broader network: from June 2023 to March 2025, at least 69 illegal operations were coordinated in Mexican ports, with 564 million liters of illicit fuel.

Control of customs passed into military hands in mid-2020. Former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador justified the measure based on military honesty and efficiency. Successive corruption scandals have called that premise into question.

Did you lose your luggage? The airline must pay you this

Know the compensation amounts for lost or damaged luggage on national and international flights.

Compensation for lost luggage

If you lose your carry-on luggage on a domestic flight, the airline must pay you 6,759 pesos, equivalent to 80 UMA. For checked luggage, the compensation increases to 12,673 pesos (150 UMA). This is established by the Federal Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco).

Each checked bag must have a check with two parts: one for the passenger and another attached to the luggage. This avoids confusion and facilitates complaints.

On domestic flights, you can check in between 15 and 25 kilos free of charge, depending on the aircraft. In addition, you carry up to two hand pieces that together do not exceed 10 kilos. The maximum dimensions are 55 cm long, 40 wide and 25 high.

If your luggage exceeds these limits, the airline may charge extra, as long as there is space. It also offers reduced rates to those traveling without suitcases.

For international flights, the rules depend on the corresponding treaty.

Where to claim

Profeco has modules at the Mexico City International Airport. They operate from Monday to Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; on holidays, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. You can also call the Consumer Telephone: 55 6887 22 or 01 800 468 8722.

Knowing your rights helps you demand fair compensation in the event of loss or damage.

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Four young Tlaxcalans missing in Veracruz are rescued

Joint operation manages to locate the victims of a false job offer alive.

The rescue operation

Four young people from Tlaxcala, reported missing after responding to a job offer, were located alive in the municipality of Acultzingo, Veracruz. The search activated a joint operation involving state police, the Mexican Army and the National Guard.

The group’s last known location was a point in Acultzingo. They were traveling in a white pickup truck, accompanied by a gray vehicle. They lost communication with their families when they were on their way to work, which triggered the complaint and its spread on social networks.

An anonymous call allowed authorities to locate the exact location. Elements of the State Police, National Guard, Municipal Police and Civil Protection of Acultzingo moved to the scene and found the young people, who were placed under protection.

Return to Tlaxcala

The four rescued received care in the Acultzingo Municipal DIF System. The authorities confirmed that they were in good health. Subsequently, the necessary steps were taken to facilitate his return to the state of Tlaxcala.

No arrests or clashes were reported during the operation. Investigations continue to clarify the facts and find those responsible for the false job offer that led to the disappearance.

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Mazatlán removes eight cubic meters of garbage during a cleaning day

Eight cubic meters of waste collected in the 41st edition of the program.

Cleaning day in Mazatlán

CULIACÁN, Sin.— Eight cubic meters of garbage, debris and branches were removed in a new day of cleaning beaches, parks and streets in the port of Mazatlán. The equivalent of 160 bags of waste left a renewed face in an area with a high tourist flow.

The 41st edition of the “Mazatlán I love you clean” program brought together municipal officials, hotel employees and volunteer environmentalists. The Beach Administrator was in charge of the coastal strip of Paseo de Olas Altas, where she collected forty bags to improve environmental conditions.

In the Villa Galaxia subdivision, staff from Public Services and the Drinking Water Board accumulated 120 sacks with disused furniture, leaves, debris and garbage. In addition, parks were cleaned, water leaks were repaired, and service modules were installed to quickly resolve neighborhood complaints.

The initiative not only seeks to improve the image of the port, but also to encourage citizen participation in environmental actions that benefit the community and tourists who visit Mazatlán.

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