Grenade event in Durango, San Salvador de Casa Blanca area, Mexico on Tue 9th June 2026

A high-impact operation carried out by federal forces in the San Salvador de Casa Blanca ejido , in the municipality of Durango, resulted in the arrest of six criminals and the seizure of an arsenal and a fleet of vehicles . Despite the scale of the operation, the main target was Leonel García “El 40 ,” identified as the head of hitmen for the Cabrera cartel, which is affiliated with La Mayiza .

The operation, coordinated as part of the National Security Strategy, took place early Tuesday morning at a rural property located along the Durango-Parral highway . According to official reports, the initial security perimeter consisted of approximately 80 National Guard members supported by a dozen ground units.

Unofficial reports indicate that "El 40," an operator approximately 45 years old with a wide sphere of influence in the city of Durango and neighboring areas, was inside the building when the armed forces began their operation. However, the criminal leader and a group of bodyguards managed to evade the cordon using an alternate exit from the property.

Upon confirmation of the escape, a confrontation erupted between federal personnel and cartel members. Simultaneously, a group of local residents affiliated with the criminal organization attacked National Guard units with sticks and stones in an attempt to obstruct the operation. The disturbances resulted in several civilian injuries and even a report of one person being run over.

Following the escape of the drug lord, the armed forces deployed a search operation by land and air that lasted for several hours, with military helicopters carrying out tactical overflights in the urban and rural sectors south of the state capital.

Although the primary target escaped, the Security Cabinet confirmed the arrest of six men at the scene, among whom stands out Leonel “G’s” lieutenant and right-hand man.

After taking control of the property, the National Guard and Mexican Army forces seized the following logistical and military supplies:

- Two suitcases with cash (the total amount of which is still being counted).

- A Barrett-type rifle

- A machine gun

- 10 long guns

- Two handguns

- 15 fragmentation grenades

- Seven chargers

- More than a hundred usable cartridges of various calibers

- Four professional radio communication teams.

- A motorcycle

- 16 vehicles, four of which have homemade armor (commonly called "monsters")

One factor that has stood out in the recent high-impact deployments in the state is the federal secrecy, since both this search and the recent clashes recorded in the community of Praxedis Guerrero have been carried out exclusively by the National Guard and the Army, limiting or making the participation of state and municipal police barely visible.

In response to the military cordon, suspected cartel members scattered metal devices known as "tire spikes" along several sections of the Durango-Parral highway in an attempt to immobilize official patrols. This situation forced authorities to intensify traffic patrols to ensure free transit and maintain security for the seized property, which was placed under the jurisdiction of the Attorney General's Office (FGR).