Mexico: Over 100 Guanajuato Cops Found Connected to Jalisco Cartel, Santa Rosa De Lima Cartel Fired

More than 100 municipal police officers in Mexico's Guanajuato state have been dismissed for their alleged links to the Jalisco cartel and the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel.

According to Sophia Huett, executive secretary of the Guanajuato public security system, about 150 "criminals in uniforms" have so far been dismissed as a result of an elite group of former Federal Police (PF) officers' work.

Mexico News Daily reported that the former police officers used their skills to detect and clean out "criminals in uniforms" connected to the Jalisco cartel and Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel.

The state government reportedly requested federal approval to establish the elite group to break the control exerted by the corrupt cops in Guanajuato, which has been the most violent state in Mexico in recent years. The elite group is made up of around 30 former PF officers.

It was formed just over a year ago. All the officers previously attended training courses offered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the U.S., the National Police of Colombia, and El Salvador's anti-gang authorities.

Mexico's Elite Group Targets Police in Guanajuato With Links to Jalisco Cartel, Santa Rosa De Lima Cartel

The elite group of former cops specializes in terrorism, drug trafficking, or cyber intelligence. Their mission is to get rid of criminal cops and take away Guanajuato's position as the country's most violent state.

Members of the elite force told Milenio that the corrupt municipal cops provided information to drug cartels, helped members of these groups escape, and even thwarted operations against them.

Jesus Ignacio Rivera Peralta said some crimes have decreased since the ex-PF cops arrived. Rivera Peralta is a 26-year veteran of the PF who now heads the police force in Celaya and has collaborated closely with the elite group.

He told Milenio that more than 200 municipal police in Celaya have been dismissed for a range of reasons. However, he did not elaborate on how many were fired due to the elite group's detection of corrupt conduct.

Huett noted that the elite group's members were previously deployed on special operations in other violent states in Mexico, such as Guerrero, Michoacán, Chihuahua, and Tamaulipas.

Jalisco Cartel and Santa Rosa De Lima Cartel in Mexico's State of Guanajuato

Guanajuato is currently among the most violent state in Mexico by murder count due to disputes between Mexican drug cartels. The state has recorded 1,566 homicide cases so far this year, which is 10% higher than the country's total.

Mexican drug cartels like the Jalisco cartel and the home-grown Santa Rosa de Lima cartel are reportedly fighting to control trafficking routes for drugs and stolen fuel.

The bloodbath in Guanajuato reportedly started in 2018 when the Jalisco New Generation Cartel or Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) moved into the state. The Jalisco cartel is infamous for its public displays of violence and military power.

According to the U.S. State Department, the Jalisco cartel is one of the most violent drug trafficking organizations currently operating in Mexico, with "the highest cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine trafficking capacity."

Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera is currently leading the Jalisco cartel. The U.S. government has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest as he continues to evade capture.

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

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