The Mexican government said on Wednesday that it had dismantled a criminal group behind a massive extortion system in the largest operation of this type to date.
The gang, with links with a large drug cartel, had operated from the central state of Mexico, extorting companies and individuals in 14 municipalities and controlling unions in the construction, mining, agriculture and parcel delivery industries.
“The fight against this criminal group was an urgent need to protect the local economy and peace of thousands of families,” said Mexico Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfu.
The repression – nicknamed the operation “Liberacion” – saw nearly 3,000 members of the security personnel perform 52 raids, which led to eight arrests of people suspected of being the leaders of the gang, Garcia Harfuch said on social networks.
Police also seized a stolen farm and exotic animalsMeat, tons of building materials and vehicles.
Garcia Harfuch said it was a “most important” operation never carried out against extortion gangs, which are notorious and widespread in Mexico.
“This case is a clear example of what we can achieve in the event of will, collaboration and a common commitment to justice,” said Garcia Harfach in a statement.
A video Released by the authorities showed that officers carrying out several raids across Mexico on July 21.
Mexico
Cartels in many regions of Mexico have extended to removal and extortion To increase their income, demand money from residents and business owners and threaten to kidnap or kill them if they refuse.
Last July, a leader in Mexican fisheries industry who complained about the extortion of the drug cartel and illegal fishing was death In the state of the northern border of Baja California. The murder in the Port City of Ensenada came just hours after Pérez complained of a generalized competition of illegal fishing.
Ordinary citizens are also targeted by extortion. Last January, a cartel in the besieged state of the center of Mexico of Michoacan created his own wealth antennas of makeshift wealth antennas and declared to the locals that they had to pay to use his Wi-Fi service where they would be killed, prosecutors said. Double “Narco-Iintennas” By local media, the cartel system involved internet branches installed in various cities built with stolen equipment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.