MEXICO CITY (AP) – On Friday, Mexican authorities revealed the discovery of bodies and remains in the northwestern state of Sinaloa amid an ongoing search for 10 missing workers from a Canadian gold and silver mining operation. The area of the find is situated in proximity to the Vizsla Silver facilities, from where the workers were reportedly abducted.
The announcement from the Mexican Attorney General’s Office did not detail the exact number of bodies or remains discovered. However, it mentioned that one of the bodies exhibited characteristics matching those of one of the missing individuals. Alongside this gruesome discovery, four individuals believed to be connected to the disappearances of the workers have been arrested.
The remains were located in a community named El Verde, which lies within the municipality of Concordia, directly near the mining site operated by Vizsla Silver. Reports indicate that the region has been a recent focal point of violent confrontations between rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel, underscoring the ongoing turf war that has persisted for over a year in the area.
Further amplifying the tensions in this mountainous region, the Navy has reported the dismantling of 10 camps previously utilized by cartel members. This detail emphasizes the scale of organized crime activity in Sinaloa, particularly in the mining sector, where cartels historically exploit opportunities to extort companies or illicitly mine valuable resources.
The situation escalated on January 28, when Vancouver-based Vizsla Silver reported the abduction of 10 employees from its facilities. In response to this incident, the company promptly contacted authorities and activated its crisis management and security response teams to assist in the search for the missing workers.
Amid the growing concern, the federal government has ramped up military presence in Sinaloa, deploying additional troops and launching operations to locate the abducted workers. The ongoing threats posed by organized crime to mining enterprises in Mexico highlight a troubling pattern where cartels see potential rewards from kidnapping and extortion in regions rich in natural resources.
The heightened military presence and the recent discoveries reflect the urgent need to address the intersection of organized crime and legitimate economic activities, particularly in mining, which has become increasingly vulnerable to criminal enterprises seeking to dominate operations and exert control over valuable territories.
