Mexico Top Security Official Introduces Elite Unit To Combat Top Cartel Operatives

Mexico's Secretary of Security and Civilian Protection (SSPC), Omar García Harfuch —the country's top security official—has introduced and developed a new elite force tasked with combating high impact crimes involving drug cartels.

The National Operations Unit (UNO, for its acronym in Spanish) force has already participated in multiple operations involving high-impact situations. According to SSPC officials, agents were involved in the recent extradition of 29 organized crime leaders wanted by the U.S. government, as well as in the seizure of clandestine laboratories and in the arrest of so-called "generators of violence." They were also deployed to conflict zones such as Sinaloa to combat drug trafficking organizations.

While talking to news outlet Milenio, SSPC officials revealed that, under the protection of new constitutional reforms, the institution was granted "enhanced powers to prevent and investigate crimes."

The new UNO task force is comprised of elements from three different institutions. One of those three is the Metropolitan Unit of Special Operations (UMOE), created by Harfuch during his time as Chief of Police and Secretary of Citizen Security in Mexico City.

Another area of the new elite force involves members of the National Coordination Against Kidnapping and High-Impact Crimes, which forms part of SSPC, but is specialized in spearheading complex operations and investigations.

And last but not least, UNO forces get their reinforcements from the now extinct Federal Police, which was dissolved in 2019 by former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador and replaced by the National Guard with aims of creating a more unified and efficient security force.

As reported by Milenio, former police officers that served at the Federal Police are now being hired to reinforce SSPC's Federal Protection Services (SPF) agency. Agents specialized in intelligence, investigation and scientific research were the first ones to get rehired.

"Our colleagues at the SPF are already working in different states across the country in compliance of collaboration agreements with state and municipal officials regarding crime prevention and combat," a senior officer who requested anonymity told Milenio.

As of February, the SPF counted with a total of 13,893 elements within its ranks. If we add the total of "elite groups" created by Harfuch, the total police force surpasses the 15,000 threshold, according to the outlet.

Although they have not been publicly announced, social media posts shared by Harfuch and the SSPC about recent captures and seizures show members of those elite groups are already participating on high-impact crimes under the name of SSPC Investigación.

For example, a commando from SSPC Investigación secured the arrest of a man known as "El Veterano," an alleged senior leader of the Mara Salvatrucha gang (MS-13) and a member of the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list. Francisco Javier Bardales was arrested on March 17 near the mountainous region of the state of Veracruz. Mexican soldiers and agents found him driving along the Teocelo-Baxtla highway and once they confirmed his identity, officials took him into custody.

Soon after arresting Bardales, Harfuch announced the apprehension on his X account, saying the operation had been a result of international cooperation with other agencies. In the tweet, two agents from the SSPC Investigación task force can be seen making the arrest.