Mexico seizes dozens of exotic animals in fuel trafficking raid in Tamaulipas

Mexican authorities discovered 135 exotic animals, including African lions, Bengal tigers, hyenas, American bison, monkeys, turtles and a camel, during a raid on a property in the state of Tamaulipas on Wednesday. The operation, part of an intelligence-led crackdown on illegal fuel trafficking, also seized 68,000 liters of diesel, weapons, storage tanks and pumps, according to statements from the Mexican Navy, the Attorney General’s Office and the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection .

Of the animals rescued, 35 belonged to endangered species, such as spider monkeys, jaguars and green macaws, officials said. The raids targeted five properties, including a storage center and a clandestine gas station, linked to a network suspected of stealing and illegally selling fuel. One person was arrested in connection with the operation.

The discovery follows a 2025 investigation that uncovered a fuel smuggling ring involving senior Mexican Navy officers and public officials, leading to the seizure of 10 million liters of fuel in Tamaulipas. Illegal fuel trafficking—often involving the smuggling of diesel and gasoline from the U.S. into Mexico and resale without taxes—has become a lucrative enterprise for organized crime groups, including drug cartels.

In a separate development, the U.S. Army confirmed it used a high-powered military laser this week to shoot down three drones operated by Mexican drug cartels near the Rio Grande along the Texas-Mexico border. The operation, conducted by NORAD and USNORTHCOM, targeted drones deemed a "physical threat" to U.S. military and border patrol personnel, according to a statement by Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor. The exact location of the intercepts—whether over U.S. or Mexican territory—was not disclosed. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum warned that any unilateral U.S. action on Mexican soil would constitute a serious violation of sovereignty .

Cartels increasingly use commercially modified drones to transport drugs, surveil smuggling routes and, in some regions, drop explosives in attacks. The U.S. has intensified efforts to counter cartel operations amid broader crackdowns on immigration and cross-border crime.