Dead Immigrants found in Mexico

Police in Mexico are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths of 72 presumed immigrants discovered at a ranch in the North East of the country. The nationalities of the deceased have yet to be released. However police are co-operating with diplomats from Hondouras, Brazil, Ecuador and El Salvador in the hope of identifying the nationalities of the deceased.

The Mexican President used the unfortunate event to proclaim his victories in the war on his nations drug cartels. He stated the drug gangs are increasingly resorting to extortion and kidnapping migrants as "a result of the activity of the state against them, which has significantly weakened the operational capacity of criminal groups."


While the group claimed 58 men and 14 women it was the Mexican navy who were alerted to the scene by an Ecuadorian man who made it to the military base after being shot by a member of the gang in the neck. The navy was not authorised to speak on record but an unnamed officer stated that the police approached the gang and a gunfight ensued. 1  naval officer was killed as were three gang members.

At the scene the authorities said they found 21 rifles, camouflage uniforms, bulletproof vests and four trucks. Also one of the trucks belonged to the group had been redesigned to resemble a truck from the Ministry of Defense.

More than 28,000 people have died in drug related violence in Mexico since December 2006 when the President intensified his war on organised crime. But as the President has said the war on drugs has had consequences on the immigrant populations. Last month in the State of Nuevo Leon 151 bodies were discovered in nine mass graves. And similar horrifying discoveries have been made in Quintana Roo and Guerro. All of these shocking events have been linked to the drug war.