The Guardia Nacional seized 45,000 liters [1] of hydrocarbon from an abandoned truck in General Cepeda, Coahuila.
The recovery highlights the persistent challenge of fuel theft in Mexico, where organized siphoning from state pipelines remains a significant security and economic concern.
Personnel from the Guardia Nacional located the vehicle on the route between Torreón and Saltillo [1]. The truck had been left behind, carrying the large volume of fuel that authorities said was stolen from a nearby gas pipeline [1].
Officials said the operation is part of a broader effort to combat the illegal extraction of fuel. The region of Coahuila has seen repeated instances of pipeline breaches, a practice often referred to as "huachicoleo," where illicit taps are installed to divert fuel into tankers.
Authorities said they are currently investigating the provenance of the 45,000 liters [1] to determine the exact point of the breach. The seizure of such a large quantity suggests a coordinated effort to transport the fuel for sale on the black market.
This incident follows a pattern of systematic theft in the region [1]. The Guardia Nacional continues to patrol these routes to disrupt the logistics of fuel theft rings that operate across the state.
“The Guardia Nacional seized 45,000 liters of hydrocarbon from an abandoned truck.”
The seizure of 45,000 liters of fuel underscores the scale of the illicit fuel trade in Coahuila. By targeting the logistics—specifically the transport trucks—the Guardia Nacional aims to disrupt the profit chain of pipeline theft, though the abandonment of the vehicle suggests that smugglers are increasingly cautious about direct confrontation with security forces.
