Mexico Says 80% Cartel Guns Came from U.S. After Raid

During the national security briefing on February 24, 2025, major political and security revelations emerged in Mexico. In the presence of President Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexican Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla Trejo said about Mexico Says 80% Cartel Guns of the weapons seized from drug cartels since October 2024 came from the United States. The statement came as the country is just going through the effects of a recent major military operation.

On February 22, 2025, Mexican security forces conducted a major operation in the mountainous region of the state of Jalisco. Notorious drug ringleader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” was killed in the operation. He was the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of the most powerful and violent cartels in Mexico.

According to official information, the operation was made possible with the technical assistance of the US intelligence agency. The encounter was extremely violent, with 30 cartel gunmen killed. Security forces came under heavy fire and the cartels used sophisticated rifles, machine guns and high-caliber weapons. The investigation revealed that most of the weapons were smuggled into Mexico Says 80% Cartel Guns after legal purchases from the U.S. border state.

The Mexican government has dubbed the arms flow the “Iron River.” The meaning is clear—weapons purchased legally in the U.S. cross the border illegally and end up in the hands of cartels. For years, the issue has been a source of tension between Mexico and the United States. Now, the death of El Mencho has again intensified the debate over how to stop arms smuggling across the border.

President Sheenbaum’s government has made it clear that bilateral cooperation is necessary, but so is strict gun control and oversight of arms sales within the United States. Analysts acknowledge that if “Iron River” is not curbed, then it will be difficult to eradicate the roots of cartel violence.

El Mencho’s death is seen as a turning point in Mexico’s drug war, but the real question now is how to break up the weapons supply chain. Unless there are strict controls on weapons coming from the United States, it is difficult to completely weaken the cartel network.