19 March 2010 / AP, VILLALDAMA, MEXICO
Mexican marines detained more than half the police force of a northern rural town Wednesday for suspected ties to drug cartels.
Marines arrested eight of the 12 officers on the force in Villaldama, a town of about 4,000 people in northeastern Nuevo Leon state, said town hall clerk Erasmo Villarreal. Nuevo Leon Secretary General Javier Trevino said the police chief was among those arrested. Some 20 masked marines were stationed outside the town hall. Others patrolled the town in sports utility vehicles as residents watched uneasily from doorways. “The situation is a little tense,” said Villarreal. “We hope things will calm down as the days go by.” One masked marine said the police were questioned about alleged ties to drug gangs, but he gave no further details. The marine spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the arrests. There was no official comment from the Mexican navy. President Felipe Calderon has been aggressive about purging municipal police forces of corruption. Hundreds of police across the country have been arrested or fired for alleged ties to criminal gangs. The military has led many of the arrests, and in some towns, army officers have taken over as police chief. The Villaldama arrests came two days after scores of police officers in other regions were detained in probes of killings and kidnappings.
