Mexico seizes 78 illegal slot machines in coordinated Sonora crackdown

Federal and state authorities in Mexico have confiscated 78 illegal slot machines across six municipalities in Sonora, in a joint operation targeting clandestine gambling networks linked to organised crime.

A coordinated operation between federal and state forces has led to the seizure of 78 illegal slot machines in multiple locations across the state of Sonora, as part of a wider strategy to dismantle clandestine gambling linked to criminal organisations. The actions were carried out on 17 and 18 January 2026 and formally announced by the Sonora State Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalía General de Justicia del Estado de Sonora – FGJES) on 20 January.

According to official information, the crackdown was led by the Criminal Investigation Ministerial Agency (Agencia Ministerial de Investigación Criminal – AMIC) in coordination with the federal Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), the Secretariat of National Defence (SEDENA) and the Sonora State Public Security Police (PESP). The joint task force carried out simultaneous actions in six municipalities, combining on-the-spot interventions with search warrants authorised by the courts.

In total, authorities seized 33 machines in Navojoa, 22 in Ciudad Obregón, 14 in Nogales, four in Santa Ana, three in Magdalena and two in Benjamín Hill. The devices were found both in public areas and inside commercial premises. All seized machines have been placed at the disposal of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which is opening investigation files to establish criminal responsibility and potential links to organised crime.

The FGJES stressed that illegal gambling operations, often tied to criminal groups, pose a risk to public order and the rule of law in both urban and rural communities. The institution reiterated its commitment to maintain permanent, coordinated operations with federal and state security forces to prevent and combat illicit activities, including unlicensed gaming, across Sonora.