Mexico Intensifies Operations Against CJNG in Uruapan as Violence Escalates

By Latin America Security Correspondent

URUAPAN, Michoacán — Mexican federal forces have intensified security operations in western Michoacán, targeting cells of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) as part of an expanded regional security strategy.

Military convoys and National Guard patrols have increased in and around Uruapan, a strategic city long contested by rival criminal groups seeking control of drug trafficking and extortion routes.

Militarized Confrontations

In recent years, clashes between Mexican security forces and heavily armed cartel gunmen have grown increasingly intense. Authorities have seized:

• Armored vehicles modified with ballistic plating

• High-caliber rifles, including .50 caliber weapons

• Tactical communications gear

• Improvised explosive devices and weaponized drones

Security analysts say CJNG has invested heavily in paramilitary-style equipment, allowing it to challenge state forces more directly than traditional trafficking organizations.

Drone Warfare on the Rise

One of the most alarming developments is the cartel’s use of commercially available drones adapted to drop explosive payloads. Mexican officials have acknowledged multiple incidents involving explosive drones in Michoacán and neighboring states.

“This represents an evolution in tactics,” one security expert said. “Cartels are adapting technology rapidly.”

Decisive Blow or Escalation Risk?

Large-scale military deployments can temporarily disrupt cartel operations. However, experts caution that eliminating armed cells does not necessarily dismantle financial or logistical structures.

CJNG operates through decentralized regional commanders, making it resilient even after significant losses.

Michoacán remains one of Mexico’s most contested regions, where agriculture, port access and synthetic drug production routes intersect.