HomeNewsBriefFake Military Uniform Workshop Discovered in North Mexico
BRIEF

Fake Military Uniform Workshop Discovered in North Mexico

MEXICO / 25 MAY 2012 BY GEOFFREY RAMSEY EN

Mexican Marines made an alarming discovery during a raid in the northern border town of Piedras Negras: a clandestine workshop used to make fake military uniforms.

Acting on an anonymous tip, marines discovered hundreds of replica camouflage uniforms in the workshop, designed to mimic those of the armed forces. Authorities even found fake body armor, also fashioned to look like military gear.

The navy maintains that the texture, design and colors of the fake uniforms were off, but photos of them (see above) appear close enough to the real thing that the untrained eye could easily be fooled.

According to naval officials, the workshop was an attempt by an unspecified criminal organization to damage the reputation of the armed forces, which has already taken a hit due to recent allegations of high-level corruption.

InSight Crime Analysis

The use of fake uniforms by drug cartels has less to do with trying to hurt the reputation of the military than with its strategic value. With relatively convincing uniforms, criminal groups can set up roadblocks, conduct robberies and carry out hits much more easily, and do not have to worry about attracting attention for being armed.

The use of fake uniforms is not unknown in Mexico. US Homeland Security agent Jaime Zapata, who was murdered in February 2011, may have been killed by cartel members posing as soldiers at a roadblock.

The success of this tactic relies on a central pillar of the government's security strategy: deploying the military in trouble spots, making their presence unremarkable in these conflict-hit zones.

Drug trafficking organizations in Mexico have also been known to personalize fake uniforms, adding badges with cartel symbols or mottos.

share icon icon icon

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

What are your thoughts? Click here to send InSight Crime your comments.

We encourage readers to copy and distribute our work for non-commercial purposes, with attribution to InSight Crime in the byline and links to the original at both the top and bottom of the article. Check the Creative Commons website for more details of how to share our work, and please send us an email if you use an article.

Tags

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

Related Content

HUMAN RIGHTS / 13 MAY 2022

The death of two indigenous leaders in Guerrero, Mexico, has again drawn attention to the government’s negligent protection of indigenous…

MEXICO / 29 JUN 2022

El Chueco has quite the rap sheet, having allegedly killed priests, a tour guide, baseball players and an American tourist.

COCAINE / 22 FEB 2023

The conviction of Genaro García Luna is a big victory for US law enforcement institutions. But problems remain in the…

About InSight Crime

THE ORGANIZATION

Venezuela Coverage Continues to be Highlighted

3 MAR 2023

This week, InSight Crime co-director Jeremy McDermott was the featured guest on the Americas Quarterly podcast, where he provided an expert overview of the changing dynamics…

THE ORGANIZATION

Venezuela's Organized Crime Top 10 Attracts Attention

24 FEB 2023

Last week, InSight Crime published its ranking of Venezuela’s ten organized crime groups to accompany the launch of the Venezuela Organized Crime Observatory. Read…

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime on El País Podcast

10 FEB 2023

This week, InSight Crime co-founder, Jeremy McDermott, was among experts featured in an El País podcast on the progress of Colombia’s nascent peace process.

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime Interviewed by Associated Press

3 FEB 2023

This week, InSight Crime’s Co-director Jeremy McDermott was interviewed by the Associated Press on developments in Haiti as the country continues its prolonged collapse. McDermott’s words were republished around the world,…

THE ORGANIZATION

Escaping Barrio 18

27 JAN 2023

Last week, InSight Crime published an investigation charting the story of Desafío, a 28-year-old Barrio 18 gang member who is desperate to escape gang life. But there’s one problem: he’s…