The attorney general of Sinaloa, Mexico, expressed her intention to engage with officials from a Canadian mining company following the abduction of several of its workers by a suspected faction of the Sinaloa cartel. Claudia Zulema Sánchez Kondo, the Sinaloa Attorney General, stated that there has been no direct contact between her office and Vancouver-based Vizsla Silver since the kidnapping incident on January 23 in Concordia.
Sánchez Kondo mentioned her office’s efforts to establish communication with the company’s management to address the situation comprehensively. The only interaction with Vizsla Silver so far was through a legal representative who informed authorities about the abductions via a 911 call.
Authorities in Sinaloa are also seeking details from the company regarding the organizational structure and roles of the kidnapped employees. Despite families filing five official missing persons reports, Vizsla Silver has not submitted any reports for its employees who went missing during the incident.
Vizsla Silver had previously halted operations at its Panuco mining project in Sinaloa due to security concerns in the area related to criminal activities. The recent kidnapping has become a top security priority for both state and federal authorities in Sinaloa amid conflicts within the Sinaloa cartel.
Federal authorities have deployed troops and special forces to search for the abducted employees, supported by helicopters and surveillance planes. Search warrants have been executed, leading to the seizure of electronic devices and identification cards belonging to the missing workers.
Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha indicated that there have been potential arrests linked to the ongoing search efforts. Global Affairs Canada has confirmed that no Canadian nationals are believed to be among the kidnapped individuals. Meanwhile, preparations are underway for a significant trade mission from Canada to Mexico starting on February 15.
