In a dramatic anticorruption sweep dubbed “Operation Swarm,” federal troops carried out near-simultaneous raids in several towns in central Mexico on Friday, resulting in multiple arrests of top local officials linked to criminal groups. The raids, involving the National Guard, marines, and soldiers, led to the suicide of a police chief in Texcaltitlan, a small rural town, as authorities closed in on him for arrest on unspecified charges. Alongside this tragic incident, the raids also led to the arrest of seven officials, including police commanders and a mayor accused of involvement in crimes such as extortion, kidnapping, and homicide.
Operation Swarm took place in two rural towns west of Mexico City and extended to the populous suburbs of Naucalpan and Ixtapaluca, right on the edge of the capital. In Texcaltitlan, the police chief reportedly took his own life with his firearm as federal troops approached. In nearby Amanalco, the mayor, along with the local police chief and another official, was taken into custody. The police chief in the southern town of Tejupilco was also detained.
This operation comes amid growing concerns about the pervasive influence of the violent La Familia Michoacana gang, which has long controlled this area, engaging in drug trafficking, extortion, and kidnappings. The raids also extended to urban areas, where the assistant police chief of Naucalpan, a suburb of 775,000 residents, was arrested. Later, officials reported the arrest of another high-ranking police chief in Ixtapaluca, a suburban area with nearly 370,000 inhabitants.
The infiltration of gangs and drug cartels in local governments has been a longstanding issue in Mexico, with some officials coerced into cooperating with cartels. These criminal groups often take a cut of municipal funds or enlist local police forces to shield their activities from federal law enforcement. This operation is a bold move by federal authorities to clamp down on such corruption and restore order in regions heavily influenced by criminal syndicates.
Source: Swifteradio.com
