Mexican special operations conducting activities in Matamoros discovered a collection of 46 luxury vehicles, two Bengal tigers, and various exotic birds inside a residence south of the city’s center.
A press release from Mexico’s Secretaría de Seguridad Pública stated that deterrence and crime fighting operations carried out by el Grupo de Operaciones Especiales (GOPES) discovered the vehicles and exotic animals on a property located in colonia Bertha del Avellano de Cárdenas de Matamoros.
GOPES, an elite body of the federal police, began operations as early as July 15, which the office stated have resulted in discovery of narcotics, vehicles, weapons, cartridges and chargers, and more, which the office stated would be up to the Tamaulipas Attorney General’s Office to investigate and prosecute.
Seguridad Pública reported that agents with GOPES seized 17 luxury and collectible vehicles potentially used for criminal activities on Friday in the Buenavista neighborhood of Matamoros.
The release further stated that on Monday night there was an attempted blockade on the federal highway near Ejido Timones which was “immediately removed” by municipal traffic personnel and state police, with the assistance of Mexico’s National Guard.
Seguridad Pública did not specify who was responsible for the blockade or why the roadway was blockaded.
Recent weeks have seen criminal factions block highways and international bridges using buses and taxis, at one point reportedly issuing a warning that there would be “large-scale conflict” in the city due to the presence of a drug task force ordered into the city by the governor of Tamaulipas.
A series of murders have been reported in Matamoros since the beginning of August, including at least seven bodies found at different locations along the Rio Grande across from Brownsville.
