Mexico says dead US agents had no permission to raid drug lab

Two U.S. agents who died after an operation to dismantle a suspected Mexican narcotics laboratory had no permission to be carrying out operations of this kind, according to the nation's security Cabinet.

One of the pair entered Mexico on a visitor's visa, while the other had diplomatic status, the Cabinet said Saturday, in a statement.

The pair died alongside two Mexican agents this month when their car careened off a mountain road in northern Chihuahua state, just south of Texas.

The deaths escalated tensions with Washington, as President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government had been unaware of their involvement, which she described as a breach of security protocols. A person familiar with the matter confirmed that the two U.S. nationals worked for the Central Intelligence Agency.

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This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 4:05 PM.