Mexico Vigilantes Arrested In Massive Sweep On Drug Cartel Gang Members


Mexican vigilantes are not an uncommon sight in certain parts of Mexico, but on Tuesday an official told reporters that over the previous two weeks more than 110 drug cartel thugs, posing as vigilantes, have been rounded up and arrested in Michoacan.

Around 50 of those arrested, in the town of Huetamo, were suspected members of well-known criminal groups and acted as self-defense militias in the region over the past year.

A senior federal official, Alfredo Castillo, explained to reporters how the gang members covered up their illegal activities by posing as vigilantes: “The suspected criminals clearly covered their activities by posing as members of the self-defense groups in that town, wearing white shirts with the words ‘Free Huetamo’ and ‘Self-Defense Group,'” he said.

The Mexico vigilantes have been given until May 10 to completely disarm, or join a defense corps administered by the army. Anyone caught with a weapon they are not allowed to have after that date will be promptly arrested.

Back in February 2013, civilians in the region formed small militia groups to combat the Knights Templar drug cartel after they accused the local police of being unable to stem the ongoing rackets and kidnappings carried out by the cartel.

In May 2013 the President of Mexico, Pena Nieto, deployed 10,000 federal troops in response to the security crisis in the region.

The Knights Templar cartel has also been heavily hit by the new initiative against the so-called Mexico vigilantes. In recent months authorities in Mexico have either killed or caught three of the four top cartel members leaving only Servando Gomez running the group.

It remains to be seen what further action will be taken by authorities in Mexico over the coming weeks to put an end to vigilantes patrolling the streets in the Michoacan region. What is clear is that further action against the street thugs needs to be taken in order to put an end to the problem.

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