Agents of the National Civil Police (PNC) destroyed 107,852 marijuana plants in the mountainous areas of the settlements of Ixmucané and Los Aposentos, in the municipality of Las Cruces, Petén, this Sunday. According to the SGAIA (Special Group Against Illegal Activities), the official valuation of the illicit crop amounts to 53,926,000 quetzals, representing one of the most significant seizures against drug trafficking in the region.
As part of the strategy to weaken criminal structures dedicated to drug trafficking in rural areas, the eradication of 87,800 marijuana plants in the settlement of Flor de la Esperanza was also reported. This action was coordinated by the PNC and the Guatemalan Army on May 2nd. On that occasion, the incinerated drugs were valued at Q 43,900 (USD 5,747.81), according to the official report.
The mountainous areas of Las Cruces have become a recurring location for the establishment of clandestine plantations. On April 3rd, authorities reported the destruction of marijuana worth over a million dollars during another joint operation between the Ministry of Governance, the Army, and the National Civil Police in the settlement of Los Laureles.
National authorities maintain that these seizures are part of ongoing operations to strengthen security and reduce the illegal production of drugs in areas that are difficult to access.
The government channel (GUATV) announced on April 27th that the country recorded the largest seizure of… in January 2026.
AI Brief
Your highlights
Hundreds of thousands of plants have been destroyed in successive operations, challenging criminal organizations. Analysis of the results shows the magnitude of the challenge for authorities (PNC Guatemala). Agents of the National Civil Police (PNC) destroyed 107,852 marijuana plants in mountainous areas of the villages of Ixmucané and Los Aposentos, in the municipality of Las Cruces, Petén. According to the SGAIA, the official valuation of the illicit cultivation amounts to 53,926,000 quetzales, representing one of the most significant seizures against drug trafficking in the region. As part of the strategy to weaken criminal structures dedicated to drug trafficking in rural areas, the eradication of 87,800 marijuana plants in the village of Flor de la Esperanza was also reported, an action coordinated by the PNC and the Guatemalan Army on May 2nd. On that occasion, the incinerated drugs were valued at Q 43,900 (USD 5,747.81), according to the official report. The mountainous areas of Las Cruces have become a recurring site for the establishment of clandestine plantations. On April 3rd, authorities reported the destruction of marijuana worth more than one million dollars during another joint operation between the Ministry of the Interior, the Army, and the National Civil Police in the village of Los Laureles. National authorities maintain that these seizures are part of ongoing operations to strengthen security and reduce the illegal production of drugs in areas that are difficult to access. The hidden plantations and the coordination between the army and the police represent a historic blow to the region. A new operation each month changes the dynamics of security (PNC Guatemala). The Government Channel (GUATV) announced on April 27th that the country recorded the largest drug seizure in the last thirteen years in January 2026, after seizing more than 4,900 kilograms of narcotics, as confirmed by the Minister of the Interior, Marco Antonio Villeda. This figure, supported by official data, places 2026 as the year with the greatest impact on seizures related to drug trafficking in the country. At the port of Puerto Quetzal (Escuintla), security forces found more than 4,000 packages of cocaine, with an estimated value of "hundreds of millions of quetzales," a result that authorities attribute to the joint work of the National Civil Police, the army, and various state agencies. In parallel, the eradication of illicit crops exceeded one million coca bushes and marijuana plants eliminated since the beginning of the year, as part of operations extended on land, sea, and air routes with the aim of neutralizing the arrival of narcotics and dismantling criminal structures. Among those arrested, there are individuals who are subject to extradition proceedings related to international networks. Furthermore, the Ministry of the Interior detailed to the government media that, in addition to preventing the entry of aircraft carrying drugs for more than a year, the recent results reinforce the sustained strategy to reduce the operational capacity of drug trafficking in Guatemala and strengthen national security. Coordinated incursions reveal the extent of drug trafficking in the mountainous areas of Petén. New findings, criminal resistance, and record figures in the fight against drugs (PNC Guatemala). Article 1 of the Guatemalan Law Against Drug Trafficking formally declares that the adoption of measures to prevent, control, and investigate activities related to drug trafficking is of public interest. The law precisely defines which substances are under surveillance: those that can cause alterations in the central nervous system and generate physical or psychological dependence. It also establishes an open clause so that the law can be applied not only to drugs known today, but to any other substance that is included in future international agreements ratified by the country.