 |
|
|
 News Around the Republic of Mexico | December 2007 
Mexican Army Disarms Police in Town Near US Border
 Reuters
go to original
 |  | We recognise that the enemy is inside our house and for this reason we are purging the ranks - we need to have confidence in our police.
- Daniel de la Rosa |  | |
Tijuana, Mexico - Mexican troops disarmed the entire police force of a town near the U.S. border on Friday after a failed attempt to kill the police chief raised suspicions it was infiltrated by drug traffickers.
Troops and police from the state of Baja California took over the beach resort town of Rosarito, just south of the sprawling border city of Tijuana, near San Diego, California.
The force's 200 guns will be checked to see if any were used in the mid-December attack on Rosarito's chief of police in which one of his bodyguards died.
"We recognize that the enemy is inside our house and for this reason we are purging the ranks," Baja California state police chief Daniel de la Rosa told reporters. "We need to have confidence in our police."
Since taking office in December 2006, Mexican President Felipe Calderon has sent some 25,000 troops to bring order to areas where drug gangs are strong, such as along the U.S.-Mexico border and in the western state of Michoacan.
Despite these actions, about 2,500 people have died so far this year in turf wars among different drug gangs.
In January, troops disarmed the police in the city of Tijuana in a similar drug-related purge. (Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; writing by Chris Aspin; editing by Eric Walsh)
Police Disarmed in Mexican Town
BBC News
go to original
The Mexican army has confiscated guns from the entire police force of the town of Rosarito, near the Mexican border with the US.
Mexican authorities suspect that the town's police have been colluding with drug trafficking gangs.
Mexican troops carried out a similar crackdown in January on Tijuana police.
The Rosarito force's 200 guns will be examined to see whether any were used in an attack on the town's police chief earlier this month.
One of his bodyguards was killed in the attack.
'Purging the ranks'
"We recognise that the enemy is inside our house and for this reason we are purging the ranks - we need to have confidence in our police," Baja California state police chief Daniel de la Rosa said.
Drug gangs are strong in Mexico's border region, which includes Rosarito, a beach resort town south of Tijuana.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon has deployed about 25,000 troops to the region, and to the neighbouring province of Michoacan, since taking office 12 months ago.
Some 2,500 people have died so far in 2007 in turf wars between rival Mexican drugs gangs. |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us