A group of the Federal Police (Policía Federal) was ambushed early Monday morning in Zitácuaro, Michoacán, in the surrounding area of a ranch known as Lengua de Vaca. The latest reports made by the Secretariat of Public Security (Secretaría de Seguridad Pública – SSP) state that at least 10 were killed and more than 12 were injured in the attack. According to Ramón Eduardo Pequeño García, a federal police chief with the Drug Enforcement Division (División Antidrogas), the drug cartel organization “La Familia Michoacana” is responsible for the attack.
The police were lured into the trap by a truck that fired into the air to grab their attention. The Federal Police then began to pursue the individuals in the truck for a few miles to where the ambush had previously been set up. The attackers sealed off exits on the road that connect to Toluca and Ciudad Hidalgo to prevent reinforcements from quickly arriving to the scene. Besides the ambush there are unconfirmed reports of two more confrontations between police and crime groups. Federal forces deployed a large land and air operation in order to try and detain the aggressors. State authorities reported two previous attacks, one of which was in the vicinity of the Zitácuaro military barracks. According to the SSP, some of the aggressors lost their lives and others were injured, however, the bodies of those killed and injured were removed from the site by their own.
Sources:
Castillo, Elly. “Emboscan a Policias Federales en Michoacán.” El Universal. 14 June, 2010.
Diario de Yucatán. “Emboscan a federales en Zitácuaro.” Diario de Yucatán. 14 June, 2010.
Milenio. “Al Menos 10 muertos en enfrentamientos en Zitácuaro, Michoacán.” Milenio. 14 June, 2010.
Agencia Reforma. “Embosca y mata narco a federales.” NTRzacatecas. 15 Junio, 2010.
El Economista. “La Familia” emboscó a policías federales.” EL Economista. 15 Julio, 2010.
