Criminals Steal Trucks Full of Beer in Salamanca, Guanajuato

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

Public security forces recovered a stolen tractor trailer loaded with bottled beer while on patrol in Irapuato, Guanajuato yesterday. The stolen beer was likely destined to be sold at street markets and at local bars.

The stolen truck, loaded with 1,100 cases of Corona, most likely originated from the Grupo Modelo bottling plant between Salamanca and Irapuato. The truck found in Irapuato by the FSPE was one of two carrying beer that was reported stolen. The Guardia Nacional recovered the other.

The stolen trailer recovered yesterday in Irapuato.

This is not the first time Grupo Modelo has had a shipment stolen. In November 2024, another truck loaded with beer bottles from a plant in Mexico City was stolen while traveling along Boulevard Aeropuerto in León, Guanajuato. The stolen trailer and goods were later located at a warehouse along the Silao-San Felipe highway, where they recovered two semi-trailers, 40 pallets containing 84 cardboard boxes of beer, and a satellite jammer.

Beer stolen from Modelo in November 2024.

Cargo theft has become a major criminal enterprise in Guanajuato state, accounting for 11% of all cargo thefts in Mexico, behind Estado de México and Puebla, who account for 19% each. The large majority of cargo thefts involve violence.

Gangs will use roadblocks, laser pointers, or drive alongside trucks pointing firearms at drivers to force them to stop. They will also use signal jammers to keep the driver from calling for help. The stolen merchandise is then taken to a storage warehouse, before being sold at a discount in street markets or licit businesses. Often, gangs have workers or even truckers on their payroll who will inform them of transport schedules.

The market for stolen beer may be related to the trend of bar attacks in Guanajuato. For the last two years, bars have been attacked at a rate of one every two weeks. The criminal groups always launch their assault while customers are on site, seeking to kill as many as possible. Bars are likely attacked in relation to extortion or drug sales, and it is likely that they are also important points of control for selling stolen beer.

Sources: Periodico Correo, El Otro Enfoque, La Silla Rota, FSPE Twitter, Bajio Quadratin