Mexico’s authorities mentioned Wednesday it had dismantled a felony group behind an enormous extortion scheme within the largest such operation to this point.
The gang, with ties to a significant drug cartel, had operated out of the central State of Mexico, extorting corporations and people in 14 municipalities and controlling labor unions within the building, mining, agriculture and parcel supply industries.
“Combating this criminal group was an urgent need to protect the local economy and the peace of thousands of families,” mentioned Mexico’s Safety Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch.
The crackdown — dubbed Operation “Liberacion” — noticed practically 3,000 safety personnel perform 52 raids, leading to eight arrests of individuals believed to be the gang’s leaders, Garcia Harfuch mentioned on social media.
Police additionally seized stolen farm and unique animals, meat, tons of building supplies, and autos.
Garcia Harfuch mentioned it was “the largest” operation ever carried out in opposition to extortion gangs, that are infamous and widespread in Mexico.
“This case is a clear example of what we can achieve when there is willingness, collaboration and a shared commitment to justice,” Garcia Harfach mentioned in an announcement.
A video launched by authorities confirmed officers finishing up a number of raids throughout Mexico on July 21.
Mexico’s authorities mentioned Wednesday it had dismantled a felony group behind an enormous extortion scheme within the largest such operation to this point.
Mexico Safety Secretary
Cartels in lots of elements of Mexico have expanded into kidnapping and extortion to extend their earnings, demanding cash from residents and enterprise house owners and threatening to kidnap or kill them in the event that they refuse.
Final July, a Mexican fisheries trade chief who complained of drug cartel extortion and unlawful fishing was shot to loss of life within the northern border state of Baja California. The killing within the port metropolis of Ensenada got here simply hours after Pérez complained of widespread competitors from unlawful fishing.
Extraordinary residents are additionally focused with extortion. Final January, a cartel within the embattled central Mexico state of Michoacan arrange its personal makeshift web antennas and instructed locals they needed to pay to make use of its Wi-Fi service or they might be killed, prosecutors mentioned. Dubbed “narco-antennas” by native media, the cartel’s system concerned web antennas arrange in varied cities constructed with stolen tools.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
