Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Oct. 6, 2026 — Federal forces arrested Iván “N,” known as “El Tanque,” in Zapopan on Oct. 5, Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch announced Tuesday.
Authorities identify him as an alleged regional operator for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG. García Harfuch linked his activities to Veracruz, Oaxaca, Tabasco, and Puebla.
“He was caught in the act, and a vehicle, a firearm and various drugs were seized,” García Harfuch said in Spanish.
A fuel network under U.S. sanctions
We reviewed the Treasury’s Sept. 10, 2024, sanctions notice, which identifies El Tanque as Iván Cazarín Molina. It alleges that he operated in Jalisco and Veracruz and generated tens of millions of dollars annually through fuel theft.
Treasury said his network tapped pipelines belonging to Mexico’s state oil company, Pemex. It allegedly stored stolen fuel near Veracruz city and sold it through gas stations. Relatives and associates served as fronts for those businesses, the department said.
Treasury’s notice listed nine Mexican nationals and 26 companies. Treasury said the measures blocked assets under U.S. jurisdiction and generally prohibited U.S. persons from transacting with those assets.
We reported on U.S. and Mexican action against a CJNG-linked fuel network in June.
Federal investigation and allegations
García Harfuch said army special forces, the SSPC operations group and the National Guard took part in the operation.
He said the National Intelligence Center and investigators from the security ministry and federal attorney general’s office tracked the suspect’s movements. García Harfuch also reported an exchange of information with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
The secretary linked the suspect to alleged homicides, extortion, unlawful detention, fuel theft, money laundering and drug trafficking. He also alleged involvement in a 2015 attack on an army helicopter in Jalisco that killed military and federal police personnel.
García Harfuch said the case would go to the federal organized-crime prosecutor’s office, known as FEMDO, to determine his legal status.
