A tractor-trailer rig hauling 100 55-gallon drums of sodium cyanide reportedly was hijacked in Mexico on May 12, according to a special alert from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The hijacking was confirmed by authorities in Mexico and Texas.
Three unidentified gunmen hijacked the rig on Highway 85 north of Mexico City. There is no information at this time regarding the individuals who perpetrated the crime, their objectives, where the truck and cargo are, or where the cargo may be destined.
Sodium cyanide is a chemical used in gold and silver mining. If inhaled or ingested, sodium cyanide attacks the nervous system and can cause a person to suffocate within minutes. According to an Associated Press news article, officials said it is unlikely that the men who stole the truck were plotting to use it in a terrorist attack since truck robberies are common in Mexico. The story quotes Mexican police officials saying the hijackers probably intended to sell the truck's parts, unaware of its dangerous cargo. However, officials are not ruling out ties to terrorism.
The FBI also has very little descriptive information on the tractor, trailer, and cargo. The tractor was described as a 2002 white Kenworth conventional displaying Mexico tag 980CS6.
FBI officials are asking truck drivers to keep a lookout for suspicious activity relating to the hijacked rig. Any information regarding the hijacking and the cyanide cargo should be reported to Special Agent Jim Woodie at the FBI office in Little Rock AR. The phone number is 501-228-8445.