Missile event in Mexico on Sun 12th July 2026

An operation coordinated by the Chihuahua State Public Security Secretariat (SSPE), with the support of federal forces, culminated in Ciudad Juárez with the arrest of a man and a woman found in possession of an anti-tank rocket launcher intended exclusively for military use, an arsenal of firearms and approximately one thousand fentanyl tablets.

The operation took place on the afternoon of 12 July in the Parajes del Sol neighbourhood, following investigations into a recent murder. The arrest was made possible through the use of aerial surveillance technology. State officers detected a Toyota Corolla—previously identified as being linked to a murder—and tracked it using drones and the video surveillance cameras of the Centinela Platform.

The car came to a halt alongside a Ford Escape SUV, at which point officers from the SSPE, the National Guard and the Ministry of National Defence (SEDENA) carried out a security inspection of both vehicles, discovering the military equipment at first glance. Jonathan G. R. and Maritza P. G. were arrested at the scene.

The following is a breakdown of the weapons, ammunition and narcotics seized during the vehicle search:

• 1 anti-tank rocket launcher (designed to destroy armoured vehicles and fortifications).
• 4 long firearms.
• 1 short firearm (pistol).
• 580 live rounds of various calibres, as well as magazines for the weapons.
• 1,000 tablets of suspected fentanyl (weighing approximately 100 grams).
• 2 private vehicles seized.

The seizure of an anti-tank rocket launcher represents one of the most unusual and alarming discoveries recorded recently on the country’s northern border. Although seizures of assault rifles, tactical equipment and ammunition are common in the state of Chihuahua, anti-tank projectiles and launchers are among the weapons with the greatest destructive power seized from criminal cells, which seek to increase their firepower against security forces or rival groups.

Both the arrested couple and the arsenal, drugs and vehicles were handed over to the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office. The authorities are continuing their investigations to determine the suspects’ connection to the original murder and to establish which criminal organisation they belong to.