A recently circulated video has shed light on the dangerous realities of cartel warfare in Mexico. The footage, recorded by a member of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel’s (CJNG) Mencho Special Forces (FEM), shows armed operatives navigating the forests of Michoacán during a tense confrontation with rival groups.
In the clip, a cartel member is seen using a metal detector to scan a dirt road in a rural area. This is no ordinary patrol—CJNG members were engaged in a high-risk demining operation.
Mexican cartels have increasingly turned to improvised explosive devices (IEDs), planting them in remote areas to ambush rivals or secure control of contested territory. These deadly traps pose a constant threat not only to rival factions but also to civilians and security forces.
After detecting part of an explosive device, the CJNG operative carefully traced a detonation cord hidden beneath the soil. The process revealed a large buried IED, which the group proceeded to disarm.
The sequence highlights both the tactical sophistication and the ongoing dangers present in cartel-controlled regions of Michoacán, where criminal organizations use military-style strategies to maintain dominance.
The Mexican military has been carrying out extensive explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) operations across the region, attempting to neutralize these threats. However, the video illustrates how cartels themselves are also conducting their own clearance missions—underscoring the escalating militarization of Mexico’s cartel conflict.
This latest footage is another stark reminder of how organized crime groups like CJNG have adopted battlefield tactics more often associated with war zones, transforming rural areas of Michoacán into volatile fronts of Mexico’s ongoing security crisis.
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