Ten bodies found in eastern Mexico after drug cartel member arrested

[News_Editor]

Ten bodies found in eastern Mexico after drug cartel member arrested

2012-02-09 19:46:01 GMT+7 (ICT)

VERACRUZ, MEXICO (BNO NEWS) -- Authorities discovered the remains of at least ten people on Wednesday after a suspected member of the 'Los Zetas' drug cartel was arrested in eastern Mexico, officials said on Thursday. A search for more bodies is ongoing.

Mexican Navy and Army personnel cordoned off the area where the two mass graves were found on Wednesday in the municipality of Acayucan in the southern region of the state of Veracruz, which is located in eastern Mexico on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

The bodies were discovered after a vehicle without license plates was stopped after it attempted to speed through a checkpoint on the outskirts of Acayucan. Security personnel detained the driver of the vehicle, identified as Juan Francisco Alvarado Mondragon, who is also known as 'El Pollo H' by local authorities.

During the interrogation, Mondragon said he is a member of the 'Los Zetas' drug cartel and the leader of the cartel's so-called falcons which operate in the area. He later confessed to the kidnappings of several people who were members of his own drug cartel and of other rival groups.

Following the interrogation, security personnel were deployed to search the area after which the remains of ten people were found. Mexican Navy and Army personnel are carrying out follow-up investigations to determine whether there are more bodies buried in the area. The bodies already found were said to be in an advanced state of decomposition.

As the Mexican drug war continues, the country's Attorney General office (PGR) has said at least 12,903 drug-related killings were reported between January and September 2011, although figures for the entire year are not yet available. This will likely bring the total figure for 2011 to more than 17,000, the highest annual number yet.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-02-09