Baja California Reports Seizure of More Than 8,000 Firearms During Current Administration

-Editorial 

The Baja California government announced Thursday that more than 8,000 firearms have been seized across the state during the current administration through coordinated law enforcement operations, criminal investigations and border enforcement efforts aimed at disrupting illegal weapons trafficking and reducing the firepower available to organized crime groups.

The announcement was made during the state’s weekly news conference, where Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda said combating the illegal flow of firearms remains a priority for her administration. She said authorities continue using intelligence-led operations at ports of entry and in urban areas where weapons connected to criminal activity have been identified.

According to the Baja California government, authorities have seized 8,000 firearms, 8,899 firearm magazines and approximately 252,000 rounds of ammunition since the beginning of the current administration.

Ávila Olmeda said each firearm removed from circulation reduces the operational capacity of criminal organizations and lowers the risk of violence affecting communities throughout the state’s seven municipalities.

Baja California Secretary of Citizen Security Laureano Carrillo Rodríguez said the majority of firearms recovered in Mexico originate in the United States. Citing information released by U.S. authorities, he said approximately 75% of firearms seized in Mexico were trafficked from across the border.

Carrillo Rodríguez said cooperation between Mexican and U.S. authorities has strengthened efforts to identify trafficking routes, intercept illegal weapons shipments and disrupt cross-border smuggling operations. He cited figures provided by U.S. authorities indicating that bilateral enforcement efforts have resulted in the seizure of approximately 50,000 firearms, nearly 2.9 million rounds of ammunition and more than 10,000 arrests.

The Baja California government also highlighted its voluntary gun surrender initiative, “Sí al Desarme, Sí a la Paz” (“Yes to Disarmament, Yes to Peace”), which allows residents to anonymously turn in firearms in exchange for financial compensation without facing criminal investigations related to the surrender of those weapons.

According to the government, 532 firearms were voluntarily surrendered and destroyed through the program between 2025 and 2026. In addition, 2,910 firearms were rendered inoperable while under the custody of Mexico’s Ministry of National Defense.

Ávila Olmeda said coordination among federal, state, municipal and U.S. authorities will continue to focus on intercepting illegal firearms before they reach criminal organizations, prosecuting weapons traffickers and expanding voluntary disarmament efforts.

The Baja California government said it considers reducing the number of illegal firearms in circulation a key component of its public security strategy and efforts to reduce violent crime across the state.