Arizona Corrections Officer ARRESTED in Mexico for Smuggling Ammunition for Drug Cartel

Arizona correction officer moonlighting as cartel member busted in ammunition smuggling attempt in Mexico https://t.co/f5aMDldG54 pic.twitter.com/NcAwPFTTBX

— New York Post (@nypost) September 12, 2026

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The suspect, who was identified as Yanet ‘N’, was stopped by security forces who were conducting surveillance in the municipality of San Luis Rio Colorado near a bridge that connects the state of Sonora with Arizona.

The Mexican government said that Yanet ‘N’ served as the logistics operator for the cartel faction and the ammunition cartridges were found under the seat of her Jeep Wrangler.

“These actions impair the operational capacity of criminal groups and prevent weapons and ammunition from being used to incite violence,” Mexico’s Security Cabinet said in a statement.

The young woman turned 22 years old Saturday, according to one of her social media account.

Mexican newspaper Excelsior reported that the woman was carrying an identification card from the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry identifying her as Yanet Dowden and as a “Level II correctional officer.” Several firearms, including an AK-47, were recovered during the search, the outlet reported.

Excelsior learned that she is linked to “Los Mayos,” one of the two cartel factions that is under the command of Ismael “Mayito Flaco” Zambada Zicairos, the son of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, who co-founded the transnational drug trafficking organization with Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.

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JUST IN: Arizona correctional officer who was working with a powerful faction of the Sinaloa Cartel was busted in Mexico with more than 5,400 rounds of ammunition

Mexican officials say Yanet Dowden was working as a logistics operator for the Los Mayos faction of the Sinaloa… pic.twitter.com/UBM7MyrTC3

— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) September 12, 2026

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JUST IN: Arizona correctional officer who was working with a powerful faction of the Sinaloa Cartel was busted in Mexico with more than 5,400 rounds of ammunition

Mexican officials say Yanet Dowden was working as a logistics operator for the Los Mayos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel

Several firearms, including an AK-47, were also reportedly found during the search

Dowden was carrying an Arizona Department of Corrections identification card that listed her as a Level II correctional officer

Los Mayos is led by Ismael “Mayito Flaco” Zambada Zicairos, the son of cartel co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada

The other major faction, Los Chapitos, is run by the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán

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