Cartel Turf War Eyed in Mexico Police Station Car Bombing

(MENAFN) Mexico's security chief Omar Garcia Harfuch said Friday that a turf war between the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Pacific Cartel ranks among the leading theories in the investigation into a car bomb attack outside a police station in the central state of Zacatecas.

"The main line of investigation has to do with the dispute between the CJNG and the Pacific Cartel," Harfuch said during President Claudia Sheinbaum's news conference in Zacatecas.

Harfuch said the Aug. 30 blast outside municipal police headquarters in Ojocaliente may be tied to rival criminal factions battling for control of territory and drug routes in the state. He said three people have been arrested in connection with the attack, including the suspect accused of planting the explosives in the vehicle.

The explosion wounded at least 11 people and damaged homes, vehicles and police facilities, striking as the municipality was in the middle of festive celebrations, according to reports. Harfuch said the vehicle carried roughly 200 kilograms (401 pounds) of explosives, underscoring both the scale of the operation and the growing threat posed by criminal groups wielding explosive devices.

Zacatecas, in central-northern Mexico, has long held strategic value for criminal organizations due to its position along key trafficking routes connecting different regions of the country. Authorities had previously floated the CJNG as a possible perpetrator, citing friction with rival groups operating in the area.

The bombing highlights the growing sophistication of tactics used by organized crime in Mexico, where explosive attacks have increasingly targeted security forces and public infrastructure — deepening concerns over criminal groups' capacity to strike at authorities amid ongoing turf battles. The investigation into the bombing continues as authorities work to identify those responsible and establish a motive.

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