Mexican security forces kill 12, arrest 9 in raid on alleged gang site

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — Mexican Army and National Guard members are seen in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico February 17, 2024. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez

MEXICO CITY  -  Mexican security forces detained nine alleged members of a criminal group and killed 12 others in an operation in a rural part of southwestern Mexico on Saturday, Mexico's Security Ministry said.

In a post on social media, Security Minister Omar Harfuch confirmed three members of the Navy were injured in the Navy-led operation in Huitzontla, Michoacan. 

The detained individuals are linked to crimes such as homicide, extortion, and kidnapping, Harfuch said. 

Criminal groups in the area are tied to maritime drug trafficking and naval personnel found weapons and tactical equipment at the site, the Security Ministry said in a statement.      

Security forces came up against "strong aggression" which "necessitated the use of force in compliance with current regulations," the ministry said. 

Mexican newspapers El Universal and La Jornada reported that the group was part of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel gang, one of Mexico's two major drug cartels. The U.S. government designated the cartel a terrorist organization in February.

 (Reporting by Brendan O'Boyle and Jose Gonzalez; Editing by Sandra Maler)