Naval Vice-Admiral Manuel Farías under arrest for a tax evasion huachicol network, relative by political affiliation to the Secretary of the Navy with AMLO.

In a significant development, a high-ranking military official has been detained as part of a federal operation against corruption and impunity. Manuel Roberto Fariás Laguna, Vice-Admiral of the Secretariá de Marina, was arrested on September 2, 2025, for alleged involvement in a fiscal huachicol network and corruption accusations.

The investigation into Fariás Laguna points to a complex structure involving both public servants and businessmen. The alleged network facilitates or protects schemes to evade the Special Tax on Production and Services (IEPS), allowing illegal entry of hydrocarbons into the country through administrative maneuvers.

The seizure of 10 million liters of fuel in Tampico, Tamaulipas, which was carried out in March 2025, is part of the federal government's strategy against corruption and impunity. The legal status of the detainees, including Fariás Laguna, is in the hands of the PGR.

Fariás Laguna's career in the Semar includes high-responsibility positions, such as commander of the twelfth Naval Zone in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, and deputy chief of services at the Naval Higher Studies Center. His family tie to Rafael Ojeda, who headed the Secretariá de Marina during the six-year term of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has placed Fariás Laguna at the center of allegations of nepotism, influence trafficking, and corruption.

The arrest of Fariás Laguna and seven others, including businessmen and public officials, was confirmed by the National Detention Registry. Omar García Harfuch, head of the Secretariá de Seguridad y Proteccion Ciudadana, emphasized that the investigation remains open and federal authorities are committed to bringing all those involved in the fuel smuggling to justice.

The detentions were carried out in strict adherence to the principles of fighting corruption and impunity that govern the current administration. The men arrested along with Fariás Laguna were transferred to the Penal del Altiplano, while the women were held at the Federal Penal of Hermosillo, Sonora.

A press conference is expected to be held on September 7, 2025, at 11:00 am to provide more details about the case and the actions taken by the institutions involved. More information about Manuel Fariás's detention and his possible participation in the criminal network is expected to be provided at tomorrow's press conference.

The Secretariá de Marina, Fiscal General de la Repuesta, and Secretariá de Seguridad y Proteccion Ciudadana coordinated the operations leading to the detention of the alleged perpetrators. The federal operation against Fariás Laguna represents one of the most significant blows against a high-ranking military official in the current administration.

Naval Vice-Admiral Manuel Farías under arrest for a tax evasion huachicol network, relative by political affiliation to the Secretary of the Navy with AMLO.