Mexico’s government has deployed approximately 1,000 soldiers as part of a major operation to locate and rescue ten employees of the Canadian mining company Vizla Silver, who were abducted at gunpoint by members of the Sinaloa Cartel.
The kidnapping took place on January 23, when armed men believed to be linked to the cartel’s Los Chapitos faction raided a mining camp near the town of Concordia in Sinaloa state. The gunmen seized the workers and fled for unknown reasons.
Although the kidnapped employees are Mexican nationals, their connection to a Canadian company has drawn international attention and increased pressure on Mexico’s government to act. In many cases, cartel-related kidnappings in Mexico remain unsolved.
Mexico’s top security official, Omar Garcia Harfuch, said authorities have found no record of prior threats or extortion attempts against the mining company. He identified a Los Chapitos cell as the group responsible for the abductions.
According to Harfuch, the cell is led by Oscar “El Casco” Martinez Larios, a key lieutenant within the criminal organization. Local media outlets reported increased cartel activity and a buildup of armed forces in the region in the days leading up to the kidnapping.
The federal government said the deployment includes members of the Mexican military, navy, and federal police, along with airplanes and helicopters being used in search operations. The scale of the response reflects concerns over the heavy weaponry and manpower associated with the Chapitos cell operating in the Concordia area.
Authorities say the group has been linked to advanced weapons and drone-based attacks. According to Infobae, Mexican security forces seized more than 3,000 explosive devices connected to El Casco’s network in March 2025.
The explosives were reportedly part of the cartel’s weaponized drone program, which has been used in violent turf wars against rival criminal groups and security forces.
Officials say the current operation is focused on locating the kidnapped workers and dismantling the cell responsible. The case has become a high-profile test of the government’s ability to confront organized crime amid growing concerns over cartel violence and territorial control.
As search efforts continue, authorities have not released further details about the condition or location of the missing workers.
