Rogue Police Officers Kill 3 Colleagues At Mexico City Airport

[News_Editor]

Rogue police officers kill 3 colleagues at Mexico City airport < br />

2012-06-27 02:54:47 GMT+7 (ICT)

MEXICO CITY (BNO NEWS) -- Police officers under investigation for drug trafficking opened fire at fellow officers who were about to arrest them at Mexico City's international airport on Monday morning, killing three of them, officials said on Tuesday. No arrests were immediately made.

The shooting occurred at around 8:50 a.m. local time near the food court area in Terminal 2 at Benito Juarez International Airport, the country's busiest. The federal agents had surrounded and were about to arrest two of their colleagues at the airport after an investigation showed they were involved in drug trafficking offenses.

"These events left two members of the Federal Police killed while another was taken to a hospital where he later died," Mexico's Public Security Ministry said in a statement. The two suspected drug traffickers were able to flee the scene of the shooting, but officials said their identities are known and a search is underway.

An airport spokesman said operations at the airport were not affected by the shooting, which sent passengers running for cover. "Operations in the air transport service are being carried out as normal and this incident does not in any way affect the operation of the airport or its services, so passengers can go to the airport," he said.

Nonetheless, the security presence at the airport was increased as a precaution.

Authorities have launched a crackdown at drug trafficking activities at the airport, which is believed to involve officials from both local and federal agencies. Federal police have seized more than 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of cocaine at Benito Juarez International Airport so far this year, significantly more than the 90 kilograms (198 pounds) which was seized throughout 2011.

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 2012-06-27