Authorities in Mexico confirmed that they found the bodies of five of the ten employees of a Canadian mining company who had gone missing in the state of Sinaloa. The Attorney General’s Office reported that investigators located the bodies on a property in El Verde, Concordia municipality, where Vizla Silver Corp operates a silver and gold mine.

Federal Security Minister Omar García Harfuch announced that officers arrested four alleged members of the criminal group known as Los Chapitos. 

The suspects stated that they had “mistaken” the workers for members of a rival faction linked to Los Mayos amid the internal conflict within the Sinaloa Cartel. “These are the first statements. We will obtain more information and make further arrests,” García Harfuch said during a press conference.

The ten workers disappeared on January 23 while carrying out extraction activities at the company’s site. 

Relatives reported a possible kidnapping and requested federal assistance. In response, the government deployed Army troops and National Guard units to intensify search operations in the mountainous region.

Before authorities issued the official confirmation, relatives notified the company that they had located the bodies. 

Michael Konnert, president and CEO of Vizla Silver Corp, stated that the company felt “devastated by this outcome and by the tragic loss of human life.” He emphasized that the company remains focused on the safe recovery of the workers who are still missing and on supporting the affected families.

The claim of the relatives

Local media identified the deceased workers as Antonio de la O Valdez, José Antonio Jiménez, José Ángel Hernández Vélez, Ignacio Aurelio Salazar Flores, and José Manuel Castañeda Hernández. Five other employees remain unaccounted for.

Family members publicly expressed their grief and anger. Jaime Castañeda, a relative of one of the victims, told international media that the experience has been deeply painful and criticized the lack of justice in the face of ongoing violence.

Violence in Sinaloa has escalated due to clashes between factions linked to Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, both currently imprisoned in the United States. 

Analysts argue that what once appeared to be a tense standoff has turned into open conflict, directly affecting communities and productive sectors, including the mining industry.

Official figures show that authorities recorded more than 1,680 homicides in Sinaloa in 2025. The state also reports over 7,000 missing persons, underscoring the scale of the security crisis in this region of Mexico. Investigators continue to pursue those responsible and to search for the remaining workers.