Violent crime stories and trends
As a state with major drug- and human-trafficking routes from Mexico to the United States, the state of Sonora, Mexico has had an element of violent crime for decades.
Violent crime typically did not involve those without cartel connections, especially visitors to the state.
That all changed in 2019. That year, levels of homicides increased dramatically in the state, to include killings of civic officials – police and city administrative officials.
And crime has increased in 2020. Violent shootings in previously peaceful towns like Magdalena de Kino. Drug interdiction in Northern Sonora, where federal police burned fields of poppies and marijuana near Imuris, just south of Nogales. And a violent homicide rate that jumped higher than last year’s records in cities like Ciudad Obregon and Hermosillo.
And the discovery of buried after-effects, as searching mothers found mass graves near Ciudad Obregon and Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point).
We do not cover every Sonora crime news story. Homicides occur every day in cities like Ciudad Obregon and Hermosillo and covering every one would be too time-consuming. Instead, we will post stories of larger crime incidents, events that may have an impact on your decision to visit Sonora.
To read tourism-related stories, click here.
The State Department recommends that you reconsider travel to Sonora because of crime. And we agree.
Sonora, Mexico Crime News
Civilians gunned down at Magdalena toll booth; 3 dead
In a public attack reminiscent of the murder of Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, a brazen afternoon ambush at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 14 at the Mexico highway 2 Magdalena tollbooth resulted in three deaths. Prominent politician among those...
Caborca cartel battle leaves destruction, 12 dead
Conflicts between rival cartels resulted in deaths and destruction starting last Friday afternoon and terrorized the city through the night. Ammunition seizure in Pitiquito Just two days earlier, on June 17, a vehicle was pulled over by Mexican National Guard troops...
Gunmen Spray Targets in Downtown Guaymas
Weekend shooting near downtown supermarket Sonora newspaper El Imparcial reported yesterday that several gunmen armed with high-powered weapons unleashed a fusillade of gunfire on a home and three vehicles at approximately 8:00 p.m. in downtown Guaymas, Sonora....
Brazen Murder Outside San Carlos Police Station
Taco vendor murdered by two men Armed assailants who were apparently unconcerned about police retribution gunned down a woman who was selling tacos outside of the municipal police headquarters in the resort town of San Carlos, Sonora on Wednesday. Sonora newspaper El...
Three Murder Victims Found Near Kino Bay
Bodies had been beaten and shot Sonora newspaper El Imparcial reported on September 5 that the bodies of three people were found by a road in a rural area near Kino Bay. The bodies of two men and a woman showed signs of violence and had been shot. They were found...
Military Finds Drug Warehouse, Smuggling and Armored Vehicles
Actions in San Luis Rio Colorado and Altar Sonora newspaper El Imparcial reports that on September 3 military elements in San Luis Rio Colorado found a drug warehouse and a vehicle smuggling methamphetamine, in addition to two armored vehicles in the...
Mexican Defense Secretary Announces New Initiative in Sonora
Warns of Cartel Infiltration in Local Police Forces On September 2, Mexico’s Secretary of Defense Luis Sandoval announced federal action to counter an infiltration of organized crime elements into local police agencies in the state of Sonora, Mexico. Sonora newspaper...
Sonora Business Leaders Demand a Solution to Violence
Members of the organization Comparmex, the "business center of Northern Sonora," met with public officials on August 13 in Guaymas to demand action to address the extreme violence that has gripped the state. In addition to Comparmex members, the meeting was attended...
August Is the Deadliest Month of 2019 in Hermosillo
Violent Murders on the Increase in Hermosillo Sonoran newspaper El Imparcial reported this morning that August is already the most violent month this year in the state capital of Hermosillo. As of yesterday, when two people were murdered in gun violence, 38 people...
Armed Attacks in Cajeme Leave 5 Dead and One Injured
Saturday violence started with an attempted carjacking Sonora newspaper El Imparcial reports that a young woman lost her life following an attempted carjacking, four others were also killed and one man was injured in armed assaults on a violent Saturday on June...