Cartels Are Recruiting Artisans to Manufacture Explosives; 3,454 Devices Seized in Michoacán Alone

Criminal groups in Michoacán are recruiting local pyrotechnic artisans to manufacture improvised explosive devices (IEDs), often under threat, according to federal and state authorities.

Carlos Roberto Gómez Ruiz, deputy director of the Explosives and Hazardous Materials Unit of the Michoacán Public Security Secretariat, said cartels like Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and Los Viagras exploit both the skills of artisans and materials stolen from the mining industry.

"Just like some people from law enforcement switch sides, the same thing happens with artisans," Gómez Ruiz explained to El Universal. "They already know how to make gunpowder." The devices, used in landmines and drone attacks, have been seized in increasing numbers, with 3,454 confiscated so far, mostly in Apatzingán and Buenavista Tomatlán.

Federal authorities have identified Tierra Caliente—a region spanning Aguililla, Tepalcatepec, and several other municipalities—as a hotspot for the placement of IEDs and explosive-laden drones. The CJNG has heavily mined the mountainous corridors between these towns to restrict rival movement and protect strategic routes from Cotija to Aguililla without using main roads. In 2023, two soldiers died in a mine explosion in this zone.

The presence of these devices has led to civilian casualties and military deaths. A federal judge recently ordered both federal and state governments to take effective measures to identify and clear mined areas to prevent forced displacement.

Judge Sergio Santamaría Chamú emphasized the need to protect vulnerable populations, citing cases such as women displaced from Aguililla. "Authorities must guarantee the prohibition of forced displacement resulting from the current explosive threats," he wrote in a ruling.