Current:Home > ScamsMexican authorities find the bodies of 9 men near pipeline. Fuel theft by gangs is widespread-InfoLens
Mexican authorities find the bodies of 9 men near pipeline. Fuel theft by gangs is widespread
View Date:2024-12-23 14:18:06
JONACAPA, Hidalgo (AP) — Authorities in central Mexico said Tuesday they found the bodies of nine men in vehicles near a fuel pipeline.
The circumstances around the deaths remained under investigation, but there were indications that fuel theft may have been involved. Mexico faces a problem with gangs that steal gasoline, diesel and natural gas from government pipelines.
Ángel Rangel Nieves, police chief of San Juan del Rio city in the central state of Queretaro, said the bodies were found in two vehicles near the pipeline north of Mexico City. The vehicles had license plates from the neighboring state of Hidalgo, considered one of the centers of fuel theft.
Since taking office in December 2018, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has made fighting fuel theft a central goal of his administration. But despite thousands of troops being deployed to guard pipelines, thousands of illegal taps are still found every year.
In 2023, about 5,600 illegal taps were found nationwide. That was down from over 7,000 in 2022 but almost the same level as when López Obrador took office.
The government has cracked down on open sales of stolen fuel and managed to reduce the volume for a couple of years. Stolen fuels are often sold by the side of the road and sometimes through licensed gas stations.
Losses from stolen fuel at the state-owned oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos, dropped to as little as $275 million per year in 2019 and 2020. But since then losses have ballooned, rising to over $1.1 billion in 2022.
The pipeline taps cause violence between gangs and pose a risk to residents. To gain support among local people, thieves sometimes leave taps open.
On Jan. 18, 2019, an explosion at an illegally tapped pipeline in Hidalgo state killed at least 134 people. The explosion occurred in the town of Tlahuelilpan as residents collected gasoline leaking from the tap.
veryGood! (214)
Related
- Auburn surges, while Kansas remains No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll
- The 2 people killed after a leak at a Texas oil refinery worked for a maintenance subcontractor
- Golden Bachelorette's Guy Gansert Addresses Ex's Past Restraining Order Filing
- When will NASA launch Europa Clipper? What to know about long-awaited mission to Jupiter's moon
- Mother of Man Found Dead in Tanning Bed at Planet Fitness Gym Details His Final Moments
- Children and adults transported to a Pennsylvania hospital after ingesting ‘toxic mushrooms’
- Pittsburgh football best seasons: Panthers off to 6-0 start for first time in decades
- MLB moves start of Tigers-Guardians decisive ALDS Game 5 from night to day
- Fantasy football Week 11: Trade value chart and rest of season rankings
- Top Celebrity Halloween Costume of 2024 Revealed
Ranking
- Kentucky woman seeking abortion files lawsuit over state bans
- Pilot in deadly California plane crash didn’t have takeoff clearance, airport official says
- Dodgers vs. Padres predictions: Picks for winner-take-all NLDS Game 5
- Why Hurricanes Are Much—Much—Deadlier Than Official Death Counts Suggest
- Police capture Tennessee murder suspect accused of faking his own death on scenic highway
- Video shows Coast Guard rescue boat captain hanging on to cooler after Hurricane Milton
- For Olympians playing in WNBA Finals, 'big moment' experience helps big-time in postseason
- Top Celebrity Halloween Costume of 2024 Revealed
Recommendation
-
New Jersey will issue a drought warning after driest October ever and as wildfires rage
-
Modern Family’s Ariel Winter Teases Future With Boyfriend Luke Benward
-
Opinion: SEC, Big Ten become mob bosses while holding College Football Playoff hostage
-
Travis Kelce’s Ex Kayla Nicole Shuts Down Rumor About Reason for Their Breakup
-
What Happened to Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone Character? John Dutton’s Fate Revealed
-
Boeing will lay off 10% of its employees as a strike by factory workers cripples airplane production
-
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds donate $1 million to Hurricane Milton, Helene relief fund
-
Mauricio Pochettino isn't going to take risks with Christian Pulisic