Arizona correction officer moonlighting as cartel member busted in ammunition smuggling attempt in Mexico

NY Post ^ | 9/12/26 | Adry Torres

[Libloather]

An American correctional officer moonlighting as a member of a powerful faction of the Sinaloa Cartel was busted in Mexico with more than 5,400 rounds of ammunition, Mexican authorities said.

The suspect, who was identified as Yanet ‘N’, was stopped by security forces who were conducting surveillance in the municipality of San Luis Rio Colorado near a bridge that connects the state of Sonora with Arizona.

The Mexican government said that Yanet ‘N’ served as the logistics operator for the cartel faction and the ammunition cartridges were found under the seat of her Jeep Wrangler.

**SNIP**

Mexican newspaper Excelsior reported that the woman was carrying an identification card from the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry identifying her as Yanet Dowden and as a “Level II correctional officer.” Several firearms, including an AK-47, were recovered during the search, the outlet reported.

Excelsior learned that she is linked to “Los Mayos,” one of the two cartel factions that is under the command of Ismael “Mayito Flaco” Zambada Zicairos, the son of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, who co-founded the transnational drug trafficking organization with Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.

The other half of the drug cartel, known as “Los Chapitos,” is operated by El Chapo’s two sons, Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar and Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar.

The Post reached out to Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office for comment.

Mexico has strict gun laws and only one store where civilians can legally purchase firearms. Mexican authorities have long argued that large numbers of weapons and ammunition are illegally smuggled into the country from the US.

The Mexican government filed a $10 billion lawsuit against US-based gun companies in 2021 and claimed that at least 70% of the firearms that were trafficked into the country came from the US.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; Society; Travel
KEYWORDS: arizona; cartel; mexico; smuggling

[Libloather]

Can they keep her?

[CFW]

This is more evidence of the cartels running Arizona. She is an employee of Katie Hobbs’ administration.

[kawhill]

“5,400 rounds of ammunition”. She’s a piker.

[hanamizu]

“5,400 rounds of ammunition”. She’s a piker.

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One round is enough to put you away in old Mexico. I wonder why Yanet thought smuggling ammunition for the cartels was a good way to supplement her income as a C.O.? Military roadblocks are pretty common in Mexico.

[Mark]

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