Cartel war takes surprising turn as CIA involvement in Mexico surfaces

MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday that her government was never informed that CIA agents would be participating in the raid of a clandestine drug lab, an incident that comes amid growing tension between the U.S. and Mexico on how to battle cartels.

According to sources familiar with the operation, the incident involved four CIA agents, raising questions about the scope of the agency’s activity in Mexico.

The Sunday raid was at least the third time this year that CIA operatives joined authorities in the northern border state of Chihuahua in an operation against a drug target, the sources said.

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