In a brazen and meticulously executed crime, armed assailants in Mexico intercepted and stole a massive shipment of gold and silver concentrate weighing 33 tons, causing multimillion-dollar losses to the mining firm Grupo Minero Bacis. The hijacking highlights the growing threat of highway cargo theft in the country and adds to the mounting concerns over security in Mexico’s transport sector.

The targeted vehicle, a semi-truck transporting precious metal concentrate, was en route to the Pacific port city of Manzanillo when it was ambushed. According to a statement released by Grupo Minero Bacis, the robbers used two white vehicles to block the truck’s path. The suspects then forcibly removed the driver and security personnel from the vehicle and held them hostage for approximately an hour and a half. During that time, the criminals decoupled the trailer—which contained the valuable concentrate—and made off with it, leaving the semi-truck behind.

While the exact monetary value of the stolen material is still being assessed, Grupo Minero Bacis confirmed that the financial hit from this incident runs into the millions of dollars. The trailer was carrying gold and silver concentrate—a semi-processed product that contains significantly higher amounts of precious metals than raw ore, making it an especially lucrative target for organized crime groups.

The truck itself was eventually recovered, but the trailer carrying the concentrate remains missing as authorities continue their investigation. The company did not disclose the specific location of the recovery or any leads regarding the stolen materials’ whereabouts.

This robbery is part of a disturbing and escalating trend in Mexico. Cargo theft, particularly along highways, has become increasingly common. Recent data shows that attempted robberies now occur nearly every 50 minutes on Mexican roads. Just within the first two months of 2025, highway thefts surged by over 33% compared to the same period last year. In 2024 alone, Mexican authorities registered roughly 24,000 cargo theft incidents—a staggering figure that underlines the challenges facing logistics and supply chain security in the country.

Grupo Minero Bacis, a company involved in the exploration and production of precious metals, emphasized the severity of the theft and called on the authorities to take stronger action to protect critical transport routes, particularly those used to move high-value goods such as mineral concentrate.

For now, the investigation continues, with no suspects publicly identified and the stolen gold and silver concentrate still at large. This incident serves as yet another stark reminder of the vulnerabilities facing mining companies and the risks involved in transporting valuable commodities across increasingly dangerous highways.