Former employees and contractors of Vancouver-based Vizsla Silver Corp claim that the on-site management in Sinaloa, Mexico, had been keeping their coordination with organized crime groups before the disastrous kidnapping of 10 employees in January 2026. However, despite the area being a violent war zone between rival factions of cartels, the employees claim that they were reassured that "everything is under control" and were even asked to wear yellow safety vests so that the armed groups could identify them as employees of the firm. The employees also claim that the on-site management made fun of their security concerns and did not pay heed to the reports of gunfire in order to not halt operations, despite the presence of armed "monster" trucks and drones at the exploration site. After the kidnapping, which resulted in the death of five employees and left five others missing, the Mexican government is now investigating whether the firm's alleged negligence or collusion with the cartels had led to the kidnapping, which Vizsla Silver Corp has denied in its entirety.