Authorities in Michoacán have arrested five municipal police officers accused of failing to intervene when armed civilians abducted three detained individuals.
According to a joint investigation by the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) and other agencies, the officers allegedly stood idly by as the victims were taken from their custody on December 28th. The incident was witnessed by family members, who claim that they have received no information about the whereabouts of the three men since then.
The arrested officers are identified only by their first names: José Alexis, Rodolfo, Linda Trinidad, María Isela, and Arturo. They were allegedly linked to the disappearance of the three individuals after being detained in connection with an investigation into illegal activities.
The incident has sparked outrage among family members and human rights groups, who claim that the police officers’ inaction was a clear breach of their duties.
“Near these facilities, and without opposition from the personnel on duty, a group of armed civilians got out of a private van and violently deprived the three victims of their liberty,” said a statement from the FGE.
The arrest warrants were executed as part of an inter-institutional action led by the FGE in coordination with the Army and the National Guard.
This case is the latest in a string of high-profile arrests of police officers accused of involvement in forced disappearance. In June, Ernesto “N”, director of the Municipal Police of Linares, Nuevo León, was arrested over his alleged role in a similar crime. Five former Linares police officers were also arrested and prosecuted for their alleged links to the case.
The recent arrests come as authorities continue to investigate allegations of corruption and human rights abuses within law enforcement agencies across Mexico.
Source: Infobae
