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Mexican police chief commits suicide during corruption investigation
A police chief in Mexico shot himself as troops tried to arrest him as part of a corruption investigation. The raids led to the arrest of several officials and a mayor.
Mexican police chief commits suicide during corruption investigation
In a small town Central Mexico The police chief committed suicide on Friday as troops gathered to arrest him as part of anti-corruption raids. These raids also led to the arrest of several other high-ranking police commanders as well as a mayor in other cities.
Operation Swarm: Comprehensive anti-corruption raids
The extensive, near-simultaneous raids, dubbed "Operation Swarm" by federal authorities, took place in two rural towns in the state of Mexico, west of Mexico City, as well as in two populous suburbs just on the outskirts of the capital.
Charges against police officers
The federal Ministry of Public Security announced that the seven arrested officials were “associated with criminal groups” and were accused of committing “crimes such as extortion, kidnapping and murder.” It is unclear whether formal charges have been filed against them yet.
Suicide of the police chief
Prosecutors said the police chief of the rural town of Texcaltitlán took his own life with his own weapon while Marines, National Guard and soldiers tried to arrest him on unspecified charges.
Arrests in nearby cities
Additionally, the mayor of the nearby town of Amanalco was arrested on “various charges.” That city's police chief and another local official were also taken into custody. In addition, the police chief of the southern city of Tejupilco was arrested.
Gang dominance in the region
The area around these cities has long been dominated by the violent La Familia Michoacana gang, which is active in drug trafficking, kidnapping and extortion.
Investigations in urban areas
While some raids affected rural areas, the deputy police chief of Naucalpan, a sprawling suburb of 775,000 people on the northwestern edge of Mexico City, and a top police chief in the suburb of Ixtapaluca, which has a population of about 370,000, were also arrested.
The connection between gangs and authorities
Gangs and drug cartels have long infiltrated local structures by intimidating or bribing officials into working for them. They often demand a share of the municipal budget or use local police to warn or protect themselves from federal raids. Sometimes police officers also benefit directly from the profits of the drug trade.