SAA event in Mexico on Tue 5th May 2026

Suspected illegal loggers opened fire on members of the National Guard during an operation in Santa Martha Ocuilan, State of Mexico, after being caught transporting illegal timber in a wooded area. The direct attack occurred when the officers attempted to stop them. The assailants responded with gunfire and then escaped along rural roads, taking advantage of the terrain and the proximity to hard-to-reach forested areas. There were no arrests or injuries. Sources in the area indicated that this type of group operates constantly in the region, where illegal logging has become an activity linked to criminal networks that control timber extraction and sales routes. Ocuilan and nearby municipalities have been identified in recent years as having cells dedicated to forest plunder, a crime that often escalates into armed confrontations when authorities attempt to intervene. The pattern is repeated: shipments detected, violent reaction, and escape without immediate consequences. The operation ended without any significant seizures, while the area remains under surveillance due to the risk of further movements by these groups.