Puebla government takes control of security in Ciudad Serdán, Puebla

Translated by El Profe for Borderland Beat from Proceso

The Secretary general of Government in Puebla, Diódoro Carrasco Altamirano. Photo: Octavio Gómez

By Gabriela Hernández

PUEBLA, Pue- For the third time in recent weeks, the state government intervened in the security of a municipality, this time in Ciudad Serdán, in light of the increase in crime rates that afflict that region.

In a press conference, the Secretary General of Government, Diódoro Carrasco, as well as the Public Security Minister, Jesús Morales, specified that in the morning 36 members of the Municipal Police of Ciudad Serdán were arrested, including Ignacio Tobón, Police Supervisor and another manager who was not identified.

Carrasco said that this municipal security intervention was based on a decree issued by the PAN governor Antonio Gali Fayad, as happened in San Martin Texmelucan on May 2.

In addition, yesterday the state government took control of the municipalities of Amozoc, after six police officers were found executed on Friday 15.

As in the other two municipalities, Carrasco informed, 34 policemen and an executive commander were arrested this morning in Serdán and transferred to the Control and Confidence Center for a review of their files and credentials.

Officials also reported on the arrest of Ignacio Tobón, who served as supervisor of the municipal police in Ciudad Serdán, after it was confirmed that he lacked official documents, carried an illegal weapon and had arrest warrants for injuries and abuse of authority.

According to the residents, this operation occurred after the kidnapping of a young man named Kevin Joffre in that locality, which has generated protests among the inhabitants who even blocked the road to demand actions from the authorities.

The three municipalities intervened in are part of the strip where criminal groups operate stealing fuel from Pemex.

Although last year operations began with the support of the Army and the Navy to stop the huachicoleros, what has happened is that the criminal groups continued in other criminal activities, such as kidnapping, extortion, theft of cars, theft of cargo, trains and the "ordeña" and sale of LP gas.

Just this week it was announced that Puebla ranks first in the country in terms of incidence of stealing LP gas, after last year 61 clandestine robberies of this fuel were detected.