3 Police Officers Dead After Shootout with Suspected Jalisco New Generation Cartel Members

A dramatic shootout in Mexico City left three police officers and one suspect dead on Friday in what was described as a "dramatic running gun battle." This was a rare example of drug cartel violence in the nation's capital.

According to the Associated Press, seven suspected drug cartel members were arrested following the deadly firefight. They are believed to belong to one of the most violent drug cartels in Mexico, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

Cartel-related violence rarely happens in Mexico City, but incidences have been increasing in recent times. In this instance, the suspected CJNG members were hiding in a safe house in a town outside Mexico City but fled to the capital as they were being chased by police.

The Deadly Operation That Led to the Fatal Mexico City Shootout

Police were trying to perform a raid against a suspected kidnap and murder gang hiding in a town outside of Mexico City called San Antonio La Isla. They were looking for suspects in a murder case. When they arrived at the safe house, they found four kidnap victims, and this was when gunfire erupted.

According to ABC News, two of the police officers were killed while they were approaching the house that the alleged cartel members were hiding in. The suspects then fled in a vehicle into Mexico City, with police chasing them. The gunfight continued as the chase was happening, with one police officer being shot and killed.

The high-speed chase ended when the getaway vehicle crashed against a lamp post, with some of the suspects being injured. Some tried to escape by foot but were soon arrested and taken into custody by police.

Suspects' Connections to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel

City police chief Omar Garcia Harfuch stated that the suspects, one of whom was a woman, "belong to a group in Jalisco." They were carrying insignias linked to the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel, also known as the Jalisco Cartel or the "4-letter Cartel." Some high-powered rifles were also found at the crime scene.

Garcia Harfuch, who had long been a target of assassination attempts by these big drug cartels, also revealed that the suspected CJNG members were trying to reach another safe house as they tried to run away from the police who were chasing them.

Back in 2020, the prominent Mexico City official was targeted by an assassination attempt by suspected Jalisco New Generation Cartel members in the notorious group's bid to claim the capital as part of their territory. They failed, but Garcia Hafuch was seriously injured.

While these drug cartels acting out in Mexico City is considered rare, officials in the Mexican capital have long acknowledged their presence in the city. According to WRAL News, it has been theorized that the city's "terrible traffic jams" have prevented cartel gunmen from operating openly in the city as they do elsewhere.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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