By “El Huaso” for Borderland Beat
This article covers recent and current events, and will be updated as new information surfaces.
At least two have died after shootouts and narco blockades in Matamoros and Reynosa, two border regions in the state of Tamaulipas, reported the Secretariat of Public Security of Tamaulipas (SSPT) on their Facebook page.
The government alert stated that in addition to the two dead, at least a dozen vehicles and several firearms were seized in the region while the SSPT, National Guard, and Sedena dismantled blockades created by organized crime groups.
This government statement follows an active weekend in Tamaulipas, when numerous videos of large convoys of armed criminals were seen traversing the state, as reported by Borderland Beat.
The statement says that at 6:30 a.m., the SSPT learned of a convoy of vehicles heading to San Fernando coming from Matamoros, and issued a Code Red Alert requesting help from the National Guard and Sedena, as well as informing both the State and Federal Attorney Generals Offices. In response, Special Forces were deployed and engaged armed criminals near San Fernando, killing two and seizing their equipment.
Simultaneously, SSPT dismantled four narco blockades in Matamoros, and one at the entrance to Reynosa.
In the municipality of Méndez, people inside a black Range Rover fired shots at government forces, and crashed while trying to escape. Three men fled on foot, leaving behind an armed wounded female who was unable to flee. Several firearms were found inside the vehicle.
In the municipality of Cruillas, an abandoned vehicle with bullet holes was found. Inside was a tactical vest, magazine, and cartridges.
In Matamoros, the 8th Regiment of Motorized Cavalry seized six more vehicles, two of them armored, as well as a weapon, magazines and cartridges, and tire spikes.
In Mante, authorities encountered a vehicle with men inside, who fled on foot as they saw the authorities. Inside was an AR-15 platform rifle as well as a tactical vest with a patch identifying them as members of the Cartel del Noroeste Operation Caña, reported Halcon Ciudadano.
Sources: SSPT Statement 4/30, Halcon Ciudadano Twitter, ElGuzman Twitter