Drone attack hits prosecutor's office in Mexico near US border

MEXICO CITY

The prosecutor's office in the Mexican border city of Tijuana came under a drone attack overnight, authorities confirmed Thursday.

Baja California State Prosecutor Maria Elena Andrade said the attack destroyed vehicles but caused no injuries or fatalities.

The prosecutor’s office said during the press conference that the explosives contained bolts and shredded metal.

"There was no vehicle fire. No gunfire was reported. No injuries occurred either. Fortunately, no employees or civilians inside or outside the facility were harmed," said Andrade.

The attack follows an assault on the state prosecutor’s office last month. On Sept. 19, armed men launched a coordinated attack on two of the agency's facilities, opening fire on two patrol vehicles and setting fire to three others.

"This is a reaction to the institution's firm actions, which have led to the arrest of criminal leaders and the dismantling of violent groups in Baja California," Andrade said.

Located directly on the US border across from San Diego, California, Tijuana has long been a strategic hub for drug trafficking and the violence that often comes with it.

Violence has remained a constant in the region, impacting all sectors of society in Baja California. Public frustration reached a boiling point last year, when Minerva Perez Castro, the Baja California representative for the Mexican fishing industry’s main trade group, was shot and killed in July after speaking out against the presence of organized crime in the fishing industry.

Her killing led to mass protests and a statewide march demanding improved security.

At this time, state and local authorities have not identified any suspects.

"This institution will go all in, no matter who falls," the prosecutor promised.