SAA event in Villamoros area, Mexico on Fri 5th June 2026

A coordinated operation between federal, state, and municipal forces resulted in the arrest of three hitmen —two of whom were wounded—after a chase and shootout in the municipality of Navolato , Sinaloa . During the operation, authorities seized an arsenal, tactical equipment, and a stolen vehicle , according to a statement released by the State Security Secretariat on Thursday, June 4, 2026.

The incident began when personnel from the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) were conducting patrols in the town of Villamoros and spotted a car carrying armed men . Upon noticing the government presence, the occupants attempted to flee and repeatedly fired at the patrol vehicles, initiating a chase and prompting a radio request for backup to establish a security perimeter.

During the high-speed evasive maneuver, the driver of the vehicle in which the civilians were fleeing lost control, causing it to overturn on the side of the road. After the accident, the occupants got out of the vehicle and tried to escape on foot through the surrounding fields to evade capture; however, they were apprehended by the officers.

Upon conducting a thorough inspection of the perimeter and the damaged vehicle, the operational teams secured the following material evidence:

Three AK-47 type long firearms (known as "goat horn").

14 conventional chargers and one high-capacity disc-type charger.

Dozens of usable cartridges of various calibers.

Various tactical equipment for operational use.

A vehicle that had a current theft report.

Due to injuries sustained during the rollover, two of the detainees received first aid and were transferred under strict police custody to a regional hospital for medical treatment, where they remain in custody. The third suspect, along with the seized weapons and other items, was turned over to the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Attorney General of the Republic (FGR) for the preparation of the corresponding investigation file.

This deployment involved the joint participation of elements from the Federal SSPC, the Mexican Army, the State Preventive Police, the Municipal Police of Navolato, the National Guard, the FGR and the State Attorney General's Office.