Arizona prison guard arrested in Mexico for smuggling 5,400 rounds to Sinaloa Cartel faction

An Arizona correction officer was arrested in Mexico for allegedly smuggling over 5,400 rounds of ammunition for a Sinaloa Cartel faction, Mexican authorities announced Friday. The suspect, identified as Yanet Dowden, a 22-year-old "Level II correctional officer," was stopped near a bridge connecting Sonora with Arizona. Ammunition was found under her Jeep's seat, and she allegedly served as a logistics operator for "Los Mayos," a faction led by Ismael Zambada's son. The arrest highlights ongoing tensions over cross-border gun trafficking. Mexico, which has strict gun laws, has long claimed most illegal firearms come from the US, though its $10 billion lawsuit against gunmakers was blocked by the US Supreme Court in June 2025.