Mexican drug cartels expand use of car bombs and explosive devices

On Sunday night a car bomb detonated outside a police station in the small city of Ojocaliente, injuring 11 individuals and destroying over 60 residences, according to security chief Omar García Harfuch. The explosion used roughly 200 kilograms of explosives and occurred while the chief was in Zacatecas with President Claudia Sheinbaum. Zacatecas has logged 23 explosive-related attacks this year, six of which involved cars or motorcycles packed with bombs, state Attorney General Cristian Paul Camacho said.

Researchers trace the use of car bombs back to isolated incidents in the 1990s, but the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) has recently intensified such tactics, including drone-delivered blasts and buried devices. The military disclosed it had seized about 2,800 explosive devices nationwide over the past four and a half years, and deactivated nearly 3,200 in Michoacán alone last year. Analysts warn the growing reliance on explosives heightens fear and could complicate security efforts.