Mexico detains 10 police officers in federal agents’ killings, charges ex-mayor with drug ties

September 14th, 2009 31 Mexican police arrested for alleged drug tiesMEXICO CITY — Thirty-one police officers have been arrested in a central Mexican state on suspicion of collaborating with a gang of drug cartel hit men. The Public Safety Department says the officers were arrested as part of a months-long investigation into alleged ties between police and the Zetas in Hidalgo, a state north of Mexico City.

September 11th, 2009 Mexican ex-officials to be tried for drug tiesMEXICO CITY — A Mexico judge ordered eight former top police and prosecution officials in the Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo to stand trial on charges of aiding drug cartels, the Attorney General's Office said Friday. The trial orders represent one of the most complete sweeps of top law enforcement officers in a Mexican state in recent memory, including the two highest officials of the federal Attorney General's Office in the state, who were arrested earlier this month.

September 4th, 2009 Police arrest Mexican mayor suspected of drug tiesMORELIA, Mexico — Federal police detained a small-town mayor on Friday on suspicion of aiding drug traffickers in the same western Mexico state where eight other city chiefs have been arrested since May on similar charges. Armando Medina, the 49-year-old mayor of Mugica in Michoacan state, was taken into custody at city hall.

August 16th, 2009 Mexico replaces all customs agents in drug fightMEXICO CITY — Mexico has replaced all 700 of its customs inspectors with agents newly trained to fight drug smuggling. The government has sent soldiers to airports and border crossings across the country to take back the guns issued to the inspectors.

July 30th, 2009 Feds seize heroin worth $17 million in CaliforniaSACRAMENTO, Calif. — Authorities say federal drug agents have broken up a narcotics ring responsible for importing heroin valued at $17.5 million into California from Mexico.

July 15th, 2009 MEXICO CITY - Investigators have identified the 12 dead bodies found earlier Tuesday alongside a road in Mexico's western Michoacan state as federal police officers. Monte Alejandro Rubido, spokesman for the National Security Council, called the brutal killings a revenge attack by the drug cartel La Familia Michoacana.

July 14th, 2009 Mexico identifies 12 slain as military officialsMORELIA, Mexico — Twelve people tortured, slain and dumped along a mountain road were military intelligence officers, a state official said Tuesday. It is one of boldest attacks on federal forces since President Felipe Calderon launched his national war on drugs.

July 11th, 2009 Gunmen kill 5 federal officers in central MexicoMORELIA, Mexico — Gunmen carried out attacks against federal police in at least six cities in drug-plagued Michoacan state, killing five officers. The Michoacan state public safety department says gunmen attacked federal police offices and one hotel where agents were staying between 5 a.m.

June 29th, 2009 Mexico detains 93 police in corruption probeMEXICO CITY — Mexican prosecutors announced Sunday they have put 93 police officers and investigators under house arrest on suspicion of aiding the Zetas, a feared gang of hit men tied to the Gulf drug cartel. Corruption scandals have long plagued Mexican law enforcement, but the detentions represented one of the biggest single roundups of suspected officers in recent years.

June 2nd, 2009 Mexico detains 25 police officers for drug tiesMEXICO CITY — At least 25 police officers were detained in northern Mexico on Monday for alleged ties to drug traffickers, authorities said. It was Mexico's latest sweep to root out corruption among police and government officials, which has been a major impediment to President Felipe Calderon's battle against drug cartels.

June 2nd, 2009 Mexico detains 29 police officers for drug tiesMEXICO CITY — Soldiers and federal agents detained 29 police officers in northern Mexico on Monday for alleged ties to drug traffickers. It was Mexico's latest sweep to root out corruption among police and government officials, which has been a major impediment to President Felipe Calderon's battle against drug cartels.

May 9th, 2009 Mexico arrests 25 Tijuana officers in cartel bustTIJUANA, Mexico — Mexico arrested 25 Tijuana police officers and two civilians on organized crime charges for alleged drug gang ties, the federal attorney general's office said Friday. The suspects are accused of helping alleged Arellano Felix cartel leader Teodoro Garcia, one of Mexico's 24 most wanted drug suspects, the office said in a statement.

May 5th, 2009 Mexican mayor: Army will fight cartels permanentlyNEW YORK — The mayor of one of Mexico's most troubled border towns said Tuesday he expects to keep army troops in place to fight drug violence even after a revamped police department resumes its duties. About 5,000 troops moved into Ciudad Juarez in March and took over police operations in the violence-scarred town across the border from El Paso, Texas.

April 30th, 2009 Mexico detains 12 officers on corruption chargesMEXICO CITY — A Mexican judge has jailed 12 federal police investigators accused of leaking information to hit men who ambushed and killed eight officers in a failed attempt to free a high-level cartel member. Mexico's Attorney General's Office says the suspects worked as investigators for Mexico's Federal Agency of Investigations, the country's equivalent of the FBI.

April 30th, 2009 Mexico detains 12 officers in corruption probeMEXICO CITY — Mexican authorities have detained 12 federal police investigators accused of leaking information to hit men who ambushed and killed eight officers in a failed attempt to free a high-level drug cartel member, the Mexican Attorney General's Office said Thursday. A judge ordered the 12 suspects held for 40 days to allow prosecutors to gather evidence.