Guanajuato state highway police on Monday arrested an American woman found transporting dozens of packages of cocaine in a vehicle with Texas license plates.
The 33-year-old woman identified as Mariela “N” was stopped near the Valtierrilla tollbooth just east of Salamanca on the Morelia-Salamanca highway after police noticed she was not wearing a seatbelt.
🚔💊 Durante acciones del #OperativoBlindaje, nuestra Policía Estatal de Caminos #PEC aseguró más de 59 mil dosis de presunta cocaína en la autopista Morelia – Salamanca, en coordinación con @Defensamx1. pic.twitter.com/JG83ZNP3gY
— FSPE (@FSPE_Gto) May 12, 2026
The suspect handed over her documentation while a visual inspection was carried out, followed by a preventive inspection. In the process, an officer discovered a packet of what appeared to be cocaine in the glove compartment.
The police immediately informed the woman of her rights and seized the vehicle — a 2018 Chrysler station wagon — before summoning the Army and the National Guard. The two minors traveling with the woman were removed from the vehicle and placed in protective custody.
Authorities continued to conduct a more thorough inspection of the vehicle, from which they removed and secured dozens of packets of suspected cocaine, later estimating that the seized quantity amounted to 59,550 doses.
The drugs and the woman were turned over to the Federal Attorney General’s Office for processing. Consular notifications were also carried out in accordance with regulations.
Guanajuato Security Minister Juan Mauro González said the authorities will attempt to identify the final destination, as well as the weight and value of the drugs as part of the investigation now underway.
González explained in a social media post that the drug bust occurred as part of Operation Shield Guanajuato, a permanent surveillance and prevention strategy on state highways carried out in coordination with the Defense Ministry.
“From Sept. 26, 2024, to April 30, 2026, more than 2.3 million doses of drugs have been seized in our state, resulting in an estimated loss of more than 712 million pesos (US $41.3 million) to criminal economies,” González told reporters.
With reports from La Jornada, Sin Embargo and La Silla Rota
