MEXICO: Shootout between police and suspected members of Sinaloa cartel in Guadalajara leaves four drug traffickers dead and two police injured

Record ID: 303984

  • Title: MEXICO: Shootout between police and suspected members of Sinaloa cartel in Guadalajara leaves four drug traffickers dead and two police injured
  • Date: 13th April 2011
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) STATE PUBLIC SECURITY MINISTER, LUIS CARLOS NAJERA, SAYING "We know the resistance and Sinaloa cartels operate in this area. We found a jacket from the Sinaloa state police in one of the vehicles, so they could've worked for any one of the cartels." VARIOUS OF LEGAL EXPERT INSPECTING WEAPON VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS AND SEIZED VEHICLES AT CRIME SCENE GENERAL VIEW OF CRIME SCENE
  • Embargoed: 28th April 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico, Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Reuters ID: LVAC83HFNT5TF19GZXC0HNGYBWP9
  • Story Text: Four suspected gunmen were killed in a shootout with police forces in the town of Ayotlan, located in the state of Jalisco on Monday (April 11) night.
    Police were called to the scene after neighbours reported seeing 15 armed men on a ranch known as "Aguacates" (avocado).
    Authorities were met with a spray of bullets fired by the gunmen who also used an anti-aircraft machine gun.
    "We set up an operation today with special state police forces. They located these criminals in this plot of land known as "Aguacates" (avocado). Upon arriving, police vehicles were received with high calibre gunfire, including an anti-aircraft machine gun you can see ahead. Luckily during the shootout, four gunmen were shot down. The others unfortunately managed to escape on board some vehicles they kept close-by," said state public security minister, Luis Carlos Najera.
    Two state police officers were injured and were taken to a local hospital in Guadalajara city to receive medical attention. Their condition is reported as stable.
    Legal experts and forensic scientists were seen inspecting the scene of the shootout.
    Five SUVs were seized from the scene of the shootout.
    Weapons and communications equipment was also seized from the suspected criminals.
    Authorities said the Sinaloa cartel is known to operate in the area.
    "We know the resistance and Sinaloa cartels operate in this area. We found a jacket from the Sinaloa state police in one of the vehicles, so they could've worked for any one of the cartels," said Najera.
    A wave of killing has claimed more than 37,000 lives since President Felipe Calderon took office in December 2006 and launched a military-led crackdown against drug cartels.
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