This was the Cocaine Plantation and Drug Laboratory that they dismantled in Guerrero

A laboratory and two hectares of coca cultivation were destroyed this Monday by agents of the Mexican Army in the southern state of Guerrero, after they located for the first time six plantations in the municipality of Atoyac de Álvarez last February 9.

“They found themselves between the Santiago river and El Porvenir, six coca plantations and a rustic laboratory for the processing of opium gum and the coca leaf”, Lieutenant Colonel Enrique Benítez Campoy told the media.

Despite the fact that the plant is native to the Amazonian Andes and must remain in a humid climate, it was transported to the Sierra de Atoyac de Álvarez, located about 180 kilometers southwest of the coastal city of Acapulco.

“Between the Santiago River and El Porvenir, six coca plantations and a rustic laboratory for the processing of opium gum and coca leaf were found,” Lieutenant Colonel Enrique Benítez Campoy told the media (Photo: EFE) 

“Here we are at 900 meters, but the combination of climate, heat and altitude is the result of the coca has allowed cultivation,” said Benítez Campoy.

Inside the laboratory chemicals were found, such as sulfuric acid, acetone, hydrochloric acid, cement, lime, white gasoline, in addition to others that are unknown and that were transferred by agents of the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) and made available and under the protection of the competent authorities of the port of Acapulco.

Chemical substances were found, such as sulfuric acid, acetone, hydrochloric acid, cement, lime, white gasoline, in addition to others that are unknown and that were transferred by agents of the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) (Photo: EFE) 

During the last years, the state of Guerrero has been the main producer of poppy in the country, with which opium gum is produced, followed by marijuana, this being the first time that a coca plantation has been found in the state and the second of Mexico.

For that reason, the destruction of the place it took two weeks for the tests to be done to determine and confirm the plant and 48 more hours to start with the destruction method, this due to the extension and work that this type of plantations represents

General view of a member of the Army during the operation to destroy a camp and clandestine laboratory next to four hectares of coca plants (Photo: EFE)
 

“We had not carried out this type of procedure, as the plant has a very prominent root and is fixed to the ground, it is more difficult than the poppy, so to destroy the plantations we use the procedure of labor and incineration”, said the military man.

According to the extarofical prices of the drug trafficking market in Mexico, the kilo of cocaine is about USD 12,500, about 250,000 Mexican pesos and from each hectare you can obtain between 5 and 7 kilograms of the drug.

The destruction of the place took two weeks in which the tests were carried out to determine and confirm the plant and 48 hours more to begin with the destruction method (Photo: EFE) 

Until this day, no one has been arrested for the coca plantations and it is not known whether this is the task of any criminal group in the area.

According to information from the Mexican Government, in the state of Guerrero there are currently half a dozen criminal groups operating, including the United Warriors, the Reds, the Family, the Acapulco Independent Cartel and the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG) and the Pacific Cartel are present.