Mexico’s Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) has seized 39 slot machines in the state of Nayarit during a series of operations aimed at tackling money laundering and criminal recruitment networks.
Naval personnel assigned to the Boca de Chila Naval Sector conducted the actions between late January and early February in coordination with the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR).
The operations took place in the municipalities of Bahía de Banderas, Jala, Ixtlán del Río and Compostela. According to authorities, the machines did not have the required permits to operate and were therefore deemed illegal.
The seizures form part of security efforts underway in Nayarit, where federal forces are simultaneously targeting organized crime activity, including illicit gambling venues and drug production.
In parallel operations during January, authorities located and destroyed more than three million poppy plants cultivated in various municipalities across the state, as part of efforts to disrupt the production of opium gum.
The action follows other enforcement measures in Mexico’s gambling sector.
In a separate case, authorities shut down an illegal “mini-casino” operating without federal authorization, confiscating gaming equipment and suspending activities on site.
In another high-profile development, platforms linked to Grupo Salinas were taken offline amid a federal investigation into alleged regulatory breaches, with operations remaining suspended while authorities review compliance and licensing conditions.
The latest seizures underscore ongoing coordination between naval forces and federal prosecutors as Mexico intensifies oversight of unauthorized gaming activity and its potential links to organized crime financing.
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