Thomas Markle's Storage Unit Raided by Mexican Authorities Over Child Pornography Allegations

Mexican authorities raided a storage unit belonging to Thomas Markle, the estranged father of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, early Saturday morning. The raid followed a report by the Daily Mail that the unit contained child pornography and evidence of human trafficking.

Guardia Nacional officers, identifying as state sex crimes investigators, entered the 5ft by 10ft storage vault in Rosarito, Mexico, shortly after midnight. A team comprising forensic computing experts and investigators from the Baja California state attorney general’s office examined the contents, which included a computer, thumb drives, VHS tapes, and magazines. A search warrant authorized by a judge allowed investigators to look for child sexual abuse material and evidence of aggravated human trafficking.

According to reports, one officer visibly recoiled at the sight of the material, exclaiming "Ay cabron," a Spanish phrase translating to "holy crap" or "oh, damn." The storage unit, rented by Markle in 2017, was discovered by the Daily Mail after he fell behind on payments and moved to the Philippines in early 2025 without emptying it. The contents reportedly included photographs of young Asian females, magazines sexualizing children, negatives of children on a beach, and VHS tapes with explicit titles. A paper plate with "DARK WEB" and URLs was also found.

The Daily Mail's report prompted an investigation involving both U.S. and Mexican officials. FBI agents from the Tampa Field Office and Southern California-based officials are reportedly involved in coordinating with Mexican counterparts.

Hours before the raid, Thomas Markle was photographed in Florida being pushed in a wheelchair between care homes. Markle, who previously lost a leg and has been diagnosed with a cognitive illness, was accompanied by his daughter Samantha and her boyfriend Mark Phillips. Phillips has denied allegations that Markle is a pedophile, stating that Markle had no contact with the materials in question.

Markle, a former Hollywood lighting director, lived in Rosarito from 2011. His relationship with his daughter Meghan deteriorated significantly in the lead-up to her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry. He is also reportedly under investigation in the Philippines after being reported by his son, Thomas Markle Jr., who allegedly found numerous child sex images in boxes his father shipped there.

Markle has denied wrongdoing, previously calling the allegations "sick lies." He admitted to the Daily Mail last week that he paid for sex in the Philippines when he was single, but stated he never had sex with anyone under 18. The Duchess of Sussex has expressed distress over the allegations in the Philippines but has not commented on the developments in Mexico.