According to Mexico’s Security Ministry, nine alleged members of a criminal group were apprehended and 12 others killed by Mexican security forces in an operation in a rural part of southwestern Mexico on Sunday.
In a post on social media, Security Minister Omar Harfuch confirmed 3 members of the Navy were wounded in the Navy-led operation in Huitzontla, Michoacán. The detained individuals are linked to crimes such as homicide, extortion, and kidnapping, Harfuch said.
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In a statement the Security Ministry said, “Criminal groups in the area are tied to maritime drug trafficking and naval personnel found weapons and tactical equipment at the site.” Security forces came up against “strong aggression” which “necessitated the use of force in compliance with current regulations,” the ministry said.
According to Mexican newspapers El Universal and La Jornada, the group was associated with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel gang, one of the country’s two largest drug cartels. The US authorities labelled the cartel as a terrorist organisation in February.
