Mexico’s narco tanks are evolving from impractical to tactical

The use of Mexico’s now-iconic drug tanks in confrontations between criminal groups is increasing, and technological innovations have helped them evolve from a symbolic emblem to an important tactical weapon on the battlefield.

Narco tanks are typically trucks, tractors or pickups converted in secret workshops for criminal groups. Features that will be added include steel plates, long gun positioning turrets, and peripheral vision, among others.

The Zetas, a group formed by deserters from the Mexican armed forces in the service of the Gulf Cartel, were the first to use this type of vehicle in the early 2010s.

Today they are used by various criminal groups for their armed conflicts. In Sonora, residents have reported seeing these vehicles more frequently, particularly after recent violence between criminal cells linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. In September, authorities seized several drug tanks and raided secret workshops where they were assembled in the cities of Pitiquito and San Luis Río Colorado. In addition, the Jalisco Cartel New Generation (Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación – CJNG), the Gulf Cartel and the Northwest Cartel also use these vehicles to confront either the authorities or their criminal rivals.

According to InSight Crime, between January 2018 and June 2024, the Mexican Ministry of Defense (Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional – Sedena) confiscated 277 vehicles with homemade armor. The states that lead in this type of seizures are Tamaulipas (153), Michoacán (33), Jalisco (25) and Sonora (21).

InSight Crime spoke with Alexei Chévez Silveti, a security analyst and consultant in Mexico who has trained police forces and the private sector for 15 years, about the increasing use of drug tanks by Mexican criminal groups.

InSight Crime (IC): When did the use of drug tanks begin in Mexico?

Alexei Chevez (AC): The Zetas were the first to use this type of vehicles with a military-oriented mentality, albeit for criminal activities. They had local repair shops that hired them to modify pickup trucks, then fill them with drugs and drive them to the United States. In these workshops, modifications were made to these transporters so that they could be armored to protect the occupants.

It starts in a very homemade way with steel plates and evolves according to the fantasies and needs of criminal organizations.

SEE ALSO:“Narco Tanks”: vehicle of choice for patrolling Mexico’s criminal landscape

IC: How have these vehicles evolved in the context of confrontations between criminal groups in Mexico?

Alternating current: These armored vehicles, particularly those of the CJNG, have always been known for their use of innovative techniques and tactics. They are getting bigger and bigger, but above all we are experiencing a very important technological leap. The most recently secured vehicles have drone signal suppression systems, tire puncturing tools and can transport eight to ten people. They have turrets on which you can place a rifle platform and video surveillance cameras that give those inside the tank a 360-degree view.

This is the new generation. Sedena has discovered the use of new, much lighter steel, another recent development.

The big advantage is also that these are stolen vehicles that are converted into light monster vehicles. They carry light armor and are much more mobile and operational. The event is of great importance and is linked to the deterioration of security in many Mexican states. When we look at the hundreds of vehicles stolen this month in Sinaloa, especially in Culiacán, we realize that they don’t even have to buy them. They steal them, modify them and then dispose of them.

What we will see in the future will be more of these types of light, stolen vehicles converted into monster units that no longer cost organized crime much.

IC: What message does the use of these vehicles send in the context of an armed confrontation?

These vehicles were originally designed for military purposes. However, due to the thickness of the steel plates, they became very heavy. This made it difficult to support the engines, transmission and suspension, particularly due to the nature of the terrain in which they were operating. So they started being inefficient.

Other criminal organizations began to view them more as a manifestation of power. Criminal groups wanted to demonstrate their success to their competitors, and this is where the problems began, because it was more about how impressive the tanks looked than how useful they were. They became a status symbol for criminal organizations. This type of armor could withstand police attacks, but not the firepower of the Mexican Army. And usually it is the armed forces that fight criminal organizations. So it wasn’t a strategic or tactical advantage over the authorities, but rather a message to its rivals.

SEE ALSO:“Narco Tank”: An Intimidation Tactic in Guerrero, Mexico?

IC: How do groups get the materials to customize these vehicles?

Alternating current: It is very difficult to obtain material for armoring trucks and costs about 2 million Mexican pesos, which is about $100,000. Why is it so expensive? Because Sedena’s ballistic steel plates used for armor are heavily regulated.

The most vulnerable part of the windshield is difficult to obtain legally, which is why we are seeing the visibility of these vehicles becoming increasingly limited.

The steel used in these new vehicles is military grade and meets standards for armament of North American military vehicles. It is illegally imported from the USA to adapt this new generation of more efficient and lighter vehicles.

The production of armor materials is strictly regulated in Mexico and there is an association of armorers who are easily identified. However, there are other legally established companies in the country that are not covered by this regulation and can import this type of steel under the excuse that it is ballistic armor for domestic or business use. It is very likely that criminal groups import this type of steel and glass through these companies.

IC: How can the supply of these materials be stopped?

Alternating current: The main problem we have is our proximity to the United States. If criminal groups can secretly import weapons, ammunition and specialized equipment for their assassins, it is much easier to import steel or glass, as we do not normally view these as dangerous.

*This interview has been edited for clarity and flow.

Featured Image: A narco tank seized in Sonora in September 2024. Photo credit: Milenio