The incident in Tijuana adds to a series of recent attacks against security institutions in Baja California.
By Diego Gastelum
Tijuana, Baja California — In a press conference held Thursday morning, Baja California State Attorney General María Elena Andrade Ramírez provided details about a drone attack that occurred Wednesday night at the state’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Playas de Tijuana, as first reported by Los Ángeles Press.
Andrade explained that the assailants used improvised explosive devices made from plastic bottles filled with gunpowder, nails, ball bearings, and metal fragments. These makeshift bombs were carried by drones and detonated remotely in the courtyard of the facility.
The explosion damaged three private vehicles and one official vehicle, though no fires or gunfire were reported. Andrade emphasized that no one was injured: “No employees, no individuals, no citizens were harmed,” she stated firmly.
The attorney general stressed that the attack was not aimed at the public, but was instead a targeted action against the Baja California State Prosecutor’s Office. “The drone’s intervention was very precise, and it was intended to strike the courtyard of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit. It was not an attack on the community… it was aimed directly at our premises,” she said. Andrade also dismissed rumors circulating on social media suggesting other targets, noting that some videos shared online were unrelated to the incident.
Regarding the investigation, Andrade said her office is using all available resources to ensure the “cowardly attack does not go unpunished.” However, she did not disclose any leads or name any criminal organization suspected to be behind the assault.
She confirmed that the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana had contacted the Prosecutor’s Office following the incident. The consulate was the first to issue a public alert via social media, while Baja California authorities remained silent in the immediate aftermath. The consulate also urged U.S. citizens to monitor local news and provided a Mexican emergency number for assistance.
Andrade also referenced recent high-profile arrests made under her administration, suggesting that the drone attack could be an act of retaliation. However, she did not elaborate on any specific cases or groups potentially involved.
Finally, the attorney general announced that an official investigation has been opened under the legal classification of terrorism, in coordination with federal and local authorities, to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.
This incident contributes to a growing climate of tension in Baja California, where law enforcement and judicial facilities have come under attack multiple times in recent weeks.