Military Seizes Flamethrower in Escorpiones Territory in Matamoros, Tamaulipas

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

During a routine patrol on Wednesday, the Mexican military seized dozens of firearms, extensive tactical equipment, five vehicles, and a Throwflame XL18 flamethrower in what appears to be a disrupted weapons drop linked to Grupo Escorpiones.

The most notable seized item is the flamethrower, which appears to be a XL18 Flamethrower produced by Throwflame, a Cleveland, Ohio weapons manufacturer. The XL18 can be purchased online for $3,450, and ships free. Flamethrowers are not considered firearms in the U.S., and are federally unregulated. Throwflame's website claims the XL18 can launch flame at targets of up to 115 ft when using napalm mix.

The weapon is unlikely to be useful in combat between criminal groups, so is likely either a novelty weapon purchased by a criminal commander, or was to be used for torturing captives. If the objective of a torture video is to instill fear in as many civilians and rival combatants as possible, the use of an over the top weapon like the XL18 fits.

Based on the perfect, apparently unused condition of the weapons and tactical gear, with many of the magazines still wrapped in plastic, it is likely that this was a drop-off point for a Grupo Escorpiones firearms traffickers coming from Texas. 

The Tamaulipas border region is a divided up between numerous criminal groups can who trace their lineage back to the Gulf Cartel. Grupo Escorpiones controls the region from the eastern coastline up until the Rio Bravo canal, just east of Reynosa, positioning this seizure in their turf.

Sources: Voceria Tamaulipas, Throwflame