A joint U.S.-Mexico operation reportedly uncovered a cartel safe house stocked with heavy weapons, stolen vehicles, and military-grade explosives just south of the Arizona border.

On June 16, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks posted on X that a May 23 raid by Mexican authorities was initiated after U.S. agents in Tucson shared intelligence with the Government of Mexico (GoM). The result, according to Banks, was the seizure of “4 AK-47s, 3 mortar grenades, 3 stolen vehicles, 3,250 rounds of ammo, 62 magazines, 27 tactical vests, [and] 16 sacks of marijuana.”

“This joint effort dealt a serious blow to cartel operations—removing weapons, resources, and mobility from criminal hands,” Banks wrote. The post was accompanied by a photo showing the seized weapons and gear in clear plastic bags, arranged in front of a screen displaying logos of multiple Mexican security agencies.

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A similar statement was posted to the Border Patrol’s official Instagram account, reinforcing the message of binational cooperation. Meanwhile, on Facebook, Border Patrol’s Tucson sector added more detail, identifying the location of the bust as Cananea, Sonora — a cartel hotspot located about 35 miles south of the Arizona town of Naco.

“High-powered guns seized through high-powered cooperation!!” the Tucson post began, crediting Border Patrol’s International Liaison Unit (ILU) at the Brian A. Terry Station with collecting information from sources in southern Arizona that led Mexican forces to the location.

While the home was apparently unoccupied during the action, officials said they found a cache of rifles, ammunition, tactical gear, and narcotics — along with what the Tucson Sector described as “three live mortar grenades commonly used in battle by military units.”

“This is what binational cooperation looks like,” the post concluded. “Teaming up with Mexico took guns out of the cartel’s hands!!!”

U.S. officials have not released additional information about the intended use of the weapons or who was operating the Cananea safe house. Mexican authorities have also not publicly identified any suspects or provided independent confirmation of the seizures. The Border Patrol’s social media posts serve as the primary source of information currently available on the incident.

The reported bust comes amid mounting pressure on Mexico’s government to show results in its fight against organized crime. According to The New York Times, Mexico’s security forces have significantly escalated operations against the powerful Sinaloa Cartel in recent months, following threats from the Trump administration to impose steep tariffs unless fentanyl trafficking and migrant flows were curbed.

The Times reported that more than 10,000 Mexican National Guard troops and hundreds of soldiers have been dispatched to cartel hotspots like Sinaloa and that Mexican forces have made nearly 900 arrests in that state alone since October. Cartel operatives told The Times that they were shutting down drug labs, going into hiding, and even purchasing drone detection equipment in response to increased pressure.

The Trump administration recently designated several Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations and is weighing the prospect of unilateral U.S. military action — a move that some Mexican officials warn could spark retaliation. According to The Times, cartel members have already begun importing more arms from the U.S. and fortifying stash houses.

The Cananea operation, if accurately described, would mark one of the most significant seizures of military-grade explosives in a cross-border context since Trump re-assumed office in January.

As cartel operatives told The Times, the pressures they now face may be unprecedented — but survival is still the goal. “There are always weak points,” one cell leader said. “There are always loose ends we can get to.”