The Attorney General’s Office of the State of Chiapas (FGE) reported that state and federal security forces deployed an operation in the state, which ended with the arrest of 65 police officers, two public officials and 11 other people, linked to an extortion network.
In a press conference, the Attorney General of the State of Chiapas, Jorge Luis Llaven Abarca, and the head of the Secretariat of Public Security, Oscar Aparicio Avendaño indicated that in the last 48 hours in different operations, in those municipalities located in the Frailesca region, 78 people were arrested, including police officers who did not have the corresponding certification.
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The prosecutor explained that “various investigations have been initiated, mainly in the municipalities of Villaflores and Villa Corzo, after complaints from businessmen, ranchers and people dedicated to transportation, particularly in the form of motorcycle taxis, who pointed out a network of corruption and a gang dedicated to extorting them.”
He pointed out that in the last 48 hours there were some arrests in Villaflores, so on Tuesday 11 people were arrested, including a former police officer from the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) who headed this gang of extortionists “who threatened all motorcycle taxi unions, demanding fees ranging from 150 to 200 pesos a week (about 7.5 and 10 dollars), or else they would be deprived of their liberty or life.”
Following various investigations, in this same municipality, six searches were carried out at various homes, where an arrest warrant was executed for the crime of extortion against René ‘N’, who served as Municipal Secretary of the Villaflores City Council.
This subject was allegedly the one who summoned and extorted the aggrieved parties “asking them to deposit the money and give it to María ‘N’, the latter a leader of motorcycle taxis who was also arrested.
The prosecutor stressed that the investigation is still open and there are other people involved, among them, “public servants who are being investigated, we will continue until we determine the responsibilities of those who have committed the crime of extortion.”
Regarding the operation to review the headquarters of the Municipal Police of Villaflores, he specified that 39 Municipal Police agents were arrested, who are giving their statement and will be investigated.
“We are going to listen to their statements and we are going to obtain more information to dismantle this network of extortionists that involved municipal public servants of Villaflores,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, the Secretary of Public Security stressed that 500 agents of the Pakal Immediate Reaction Force participated in this operation. 200 agents from the State Attorney General’s Office, in addition to a deployment of the National Guard and the Mexican Army.
Source: informador
