Two inmates died from overdoses and four others were poisoned after consuming narcotics in a prison facility located in Ciudad Obregón, Cajeme, in Sonora, Mexico. The State Secretariat of Public Security reported the incident on Thursday, noting the grim toll within one of the state’s most violent municipalities, a context shaped by ongoing clashes among criminal groups and the illicit drug trade that reaches even penal institutions.
Initial statements from the Sonora Attorney General’s Office indicated that an autopsy would establish which substance caused the tragedy. However, sources consulted by EFE and the Public Security department corroborated that the poisonings stemmed from drug use contaminated with fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid increasingly found in illegal samples. This detail aligns with broader concerns about fentanyl’s spread through various channels, including prisons, and the severe risks it poses to inmates and staff alike.
The events unfolded on Wednesday afternoon inside the Ciudad Obregón Social Rehabilitation Center. Following the news, hundreds of relatives, partners and friends of the detainees gathered outside the prison and attempted to breach the perimeter by force while demanding information and accountability from authorities. Prison officials were urged to identify the victims and to provide a transparent account of how the incident occurred and what measures would be taken to prevent a recurrence.
Social media posts identified two of the deceased inmates by name. One was Óscar M.S., who was incarcerated for murder, and the other Jorge Iván A.C., convicted of violent robbery. Local Cajeme media outlets named the survivors as Jesús Eduardo S.R., aged 34; Carlos Alonso M.R., 21; Ezequiel Guadalupe L.H.; and René Javier A., who was said to be in fragile but stable condition. The surviving inmates were transported to the Mexican Social Security Institute Hospital for medical treatment and then kept under custody for monitoring in a secure medical setting.
Since Wednesday evening, a coordinated operation involving state and federal forces has been underway at the prison site. Authorities have conducted cell-by-cell searches to confiscate drugs and other prohibited items introduced into the facility by inmates who attempted to gain illegal access or conceal contraband. This sweep reflects an ongoing commitment to restore order and safeguard both inmates and staff in a facility already grappling with security concerns.
Intensified visiting hours resumed on Thursday morning, allowing relatives, spouses and friends of detainees to check on their loved ones’ health status. This pause in the routine visit schedule provided a moment for families to receive updates and for officials to brief them on the evolving situation and the steps being taken to ensure medical care and safety inside the center.
According to records from the Executive Secretariat of the National System of Public Security in Mexico, Cajeme ranks among the country’s most violent municipalities. The location has long been affected by power struggles between organized crime groups, with monthly figures showing numerous cases of intentional homicide and disappearances. The broader context also includes the movement of drugs such as fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana toward the United States, a dynamic that continues to shape security policies and enforcement efforts across northern Mexico and border regions.