MEXICO · SECURITY
Key Facts
- —What is happening Federal prosecutors found a tunnel-type excavation 4.75 metres long on a property in Apodaca, Nuevo León, on Wednesday, 21 October, about 20 metres from a Pemex pipeline crossing.
- —Why it matters Fuel theft from Pemex pipelines feeds the illegal fuel trade that Mexico and the United States both target, and Nuevo León, home to Monterrey, is a major US trade and industrial partner.
- —The numbers The excavation measures about 4.75 metres long, 1.60 metres wide and 1.47 metres high, roughly 15.6 by 5.2 by 4.8 feet, and lies about 20 metres (65 feet) from the pipelines.
- —Who is who The FGR is Mexico’s federal prosecutor’s office, whose Federal Ministerial Police ran the search. Pemex is the state oil company that owns the pipelines, and Apodaca is a Monterrey suburb.
- —What to watch Whether prosecutors say the tunnel reached a Pemex pipeline, whether fuel, tools or vehicles were found, and whether anyone is arrested or charged in the federal case.
- —Power Index Mexico ranks 2nd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 71.4 points (October 2026 edition).
- —What it means for you For US readers, the find is a sign that fuel theft still targets Mexico’s pipelines; it does not by itself affect US fuel supply or travel to Monterrey.
Federal agents found a 4.75-metre tunnel near Pemex pipelines in Apodaca. Whether it was used to steal fuel is not yet known.
Mexico’s federal prosecutors found a tunnel-type excavation 20 metres from Pemex pipelines in Apodaca, Nuevo León, on Wednesday, 21 October. They have not said that the tunnel touched a pipeline or that fuel was stolen.
Fuel theft and fuel smuggling are a shared Mexico-US concern, and Nuevo León is a major US trade partner. No arrests have been reported so far.
What Prosecutors Found in Apodaca
The Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), Mexico’s federal prosecutor’s office, said its Federal Ministerial Police found the excavation. The search took place on a property on a dirt track in the Cosmópolis neighbourhood of Apodaca.
The FGR described a tunnel-type excavation of about 4.75 metres long, 1.60 metres wide and 1.47 metres high. It lies about 20 metres from a crossing of Pemex pipelines, the agency said.
A control judge issued the search warrant, Infobae and La Jornada San Luis report. Apodaca municipal police secured the area, and the property went to a federal prosecutor in Nuevo León.
The FGR said the case concerns possible crimes under the federal law against hydrocarbon offences. It described the excavation as presumably related to such crimes, which is not the same as a finding of fuel theft.
What Is Not Yet Confirmed
The FGR has not said whether the tunnel connects to a pipeline, according to ABC Noticias. It has also not said whether it found fuel, tools, vehicles or any illegal tap on the property.
No arrests were reported in any of the accounts reviewed. Nobody has been named, and nobody has been charged with a crime in connection with the property.
The FGR did not say who owns the property or how long the excavation had existed. Pemex had not commented in the reports reviewed, and the FGR has not given a case number.
Why Pipeline Tunnels Matter in Mexico
Mexican criminal groups tap fuel pipelines to steal gasoline and diesel, a crime known as huachicol. Tunnels and buried lines let thieves reach a pipeline or store fuel out of sight.
Infobae, citing official data, counts 11,774 illegal taps on Pemex pipelines in 2024. It also reports more than 70,000 taps between December 2018 and October 2024.
Nuevo León has seen such cases this year. In May, ADN40 reported that the FGR secured a tunnel tied to an 18-inch Pemex pipeline in Santa Catarina, another Monterrey suburb.
That earlier case is a separate event with a confirmed pipeline link, whereas the Apodaca find has none confirmed. This article does not link the two cases, and the sources do not either.
The Wider Fuel Crackdown
The find comes a day after President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government presented figures on a national campaign against fuel theft and fuel smuggling. The Rio Times covered those figures in its report on the fuel crackdown and 2,539 arrests.
Earlier this month Mexico arrested El Tanque, an alleged Jalisco cartel fuel chief whom the US Treasury sanctioned in 2024. See the report on the El Tanque pretrial detention.
Pemex is the state oil company and the owner of the pipelines in question. Its finances are covered in Pemex says debt fell US$20bn.
What It Means for US Readers
For US firms with operations around Monterrey, the find is a reminder that pipeline theft remains a security issue near industrial areas. It is one case, with no confirmed damage or supply disruption.
The sources report no effect on fuel supply, no spill and no danger to residents. Travellers to Monterrey face no new advice from this single finding.
Readers who follow US-Mexico energy ties should watch the FGR for a follow-up. Background on the region is in Mexico politics and government, the Monterrey cost-of-living guide and the Mexico news hub.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether the tunnel reached a Pemex pipeline, whether fuel was ever stolen through it, or who dug it. The FGR has given no depth, no date of construction and no seizure figures.
The FGR statement itself could not be opened on its own website. Its content is taken from its text as carried by Excélsior, La Silla Rota, La Jornada San Luis, Infobae and ABC Noticias.
What Comes Next
The federal prosecutor assigned to the case will continue the investigation to establish criminal responsibility, the FGR said. A follow-up release would show whether fuel or a pipeline connection is confirmed.
An excavation near a pipeline does not prove fuel theft, and the find does not mean a pipeline was damaged. Any charges would have to be filed and heard before a federal judge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Mexican authorities find in Apodaca?
Federal agents found a tunnel-type excavation about 4.75 metres long on a property in Apodaca, Nuevo León, on 21 October. It lies about 20 metres from a crossing of Pemex pipelines.
Was the tunnel connected to a Pemex pipeline?
Authorities have not said so. The FGR reported only that the excavation is near the pipelines and presumably related to hydrocarbon crimes.
Were there any arrests?
No arrests have been reported. The property was secured and handed to a federal prosecutor, who continues the investigation.
What is huachicol?
Huachicol is Mexican slang for stolen or illegally traded fuel, often taken by tapping pipelines. Pemex, the state oil company, owns most of the pipelines targeted.
Does this affect US fuel supply or travel to Monterrey?
The sources report no supply disruption, spill or danger to residents. The find is a single case with no confirmed damage.
Sources: Excélsior, 21 October; La Silla Rota, 21 October; La Jornada San Luis, FGR statement, 21 October; ABC Noticias, 21 October; Infobae, 22 October; ADN40, 11 May; Zeta Tijuana, 2024 sanctions (all accessed 22 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief