Culiacán, Sinaloa.- Nine elements of Mexican Army and of the National Guard They were injured with burns after the explosion of a drug laboratory in the Imala district, in the municipality of Culiacán, Sinaloa.
The explosion occurred around noon on Friday, May 17, while the military was inspecting a property in the community of El Pozo, where synthetic drugs such as crystal were allegedly processed.
The explosion occurred due to a chemical reaction when the military manipulated the clandestine laboratory’s artifacts.
The nine injured troops were taken to the community of El Pozo, where a helicopter from the Navy Secretariat took them to the Ninth Military Zone of Culiacán. Later, they were taken by ambulance to an ISSSTE hospital.
Of the nine injured soldiers, three were reported in serious condition, according to the newspaper Ríodoce.
The Viva la Noticia media shared a video of the laboratory that exploded, showing burned drums and a building emitting gray smoke. A black liquid was also observed spread on the ground. and fire units on site.
Between April 30 and May 13, the Mexican armed forces secured 18 clandestine laboratories in operations which resulted in the seizure of more than 12 tons of methamphetamine and 60 tons of chemicals.
On May 7, the Secretary of the Navy reported on the location and dismantling of eight clandestine laboratories in Culiacán, Tamazula and Cosalá, areas under control of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Laboratory Location
Clandestine laboratories are usually located in remote and difficult-to-access areas, such as rural and mountainous areas, to avoid detection. Recently, there has been an increase in the security of these laboratories in the state capital, Culiacán.
Until now, neither the state authorities nor federal authorities have issued official information about this specific incident.
The intensified operations against clandestine laboratories in Sinaloa have become more intense, since this is a region historically linked to lto drug production due to its geography and control by the Sinaloa Cartel.
