The Mexican Army seized over 15 tons of pure methamphetamine worth more than 58 billion pesos at a ranch in Tlajomulco on Wednesday, the biggest haul of said drug in Mexican history.
The operation took place after the Army received anonymous tips that the Villarreal ranch was being used to manufacture synthetic drugs. The ranch was deserted and no arrests were made, although it appeared 12 to 15 people worked there.
Methamphetamine production has been rising in Mexico and Jalisco is considered an industry hub run by the powerful Sinaloa Cartel headed by Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
To put the scale of the haul in context, according to the most recent figures available from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, a total of 31 tons of methamphetamine were seized worldwide in 2009. This single stash of 15 tons is over twice the total amount seized in Mexico in 2009.
The Mexican Army says each kilo of methamphetamine would cost about 300,000 pesos in Mexico, rising in value to 35,000 dollars in the United States. This huge cache could have supplied 13 million doses at street level. In total, it is said to be worth a staggering 58.14 billion pesos, or 4.5 billion dollars.
“This could potentially put a huge dent in the supply chain in the U.S.,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) spokesman Rusty Payne. “When we’re taking this much out of the supply chain, it’s a huge deal.”