SAA event in Mexico on Mon 13th July 2026

Members of the Tabasco State Police arrested a 68-year-old hitman, identified as José Saturnino “El Chato”, who was found in possession of weapons for the exclusive use of the armed forces, a considerable quantity of various illicit substances, tactical clothing and two motor vehicles with mechanical and registration irregularities.

The arrest took place in the vicinity of the Ismate and Chilapilla hamlets, first section, in the municipality of Centro, where state officers carried out a tactical operation that culminated in the suspect’s arrest in the act for his alleged involvement in drug-related offences and the illegal possession of a firearm.

According to the official report from the state’s Secretariat for Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), during the physical search of the detainee and the items he was carrying, the officers seized the following firearms and protective equipment:

• A US-made Smith & Wesson MP15 assault rifle
• Three magazines loaded with a total of 16 live rounds of .223 calibre ammunition
• An additional magazine designed for 7.62 mm calibre ammunition
• A handmade (homemade) pistol
• A tactical vest fitted with two ballistic armour plates
• A travel suitcase
• Two rucksack-style bags

The state-owned corporation described the quantity of narcotics found at the site as “significant”. The packages contained various substances with physical characteristics corresponding to four types of drugs, which were packed for forensic analysis:

• Green, dried herb with the properties of cannabis.
• A granular, transparent substance resembling crystal meth.
• A white powder with characteristics similar to cocaine.
• A synthetic drug commonly known as ‘reina’.

During the raid, the authorities seized two motorbikes believed to be linked to the criminal activities of “El Chato”. Following a check of their identification numbers, serious irregularities were detected in both vehicles: the first, a black and red Vento motorbike with a 190 cc engine, lacked a valid registration with the Public Vehicle Register (REPUVE); the second, a burgundy and white Italika, had its engine number completely erased and its chassis number illegible.

José Saturnino “N”, the arsenal, the suspected drug doses and the motor vehicles were transferred and handed over to the relevant Public Prosecutor. That authority will be responsible for determining the exact chemical composition of the narcotics, resolving the legal situation of the accused and continuing the investigations to determine the origin of the weapons and the illicit provenance of the motorbikes.