Mexican prison officials may have helped drug cartels members escape during riot
February 22, 2012
Earlier this week, a large-scale riot was staged at Apocado, a maximum-security prison in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, to distract authorities as members of a prominent drug gang made their getaway. Not only did 30 henchmen from the Zetas criminal gang get away during the riot, but reporters are claiming they had inside help. The Associated Press states that the prison's top officials and a number of guards have been detained as they are currently suspected of involvement with the riot.
"We can say without a doubt that this was premeditated and planned," Nuevo Leon mayor Rodrigo Medina told reporters at a news conference, according to the Los Angeles Times. "This isn't a thing where, in the middle of a riot, it occurred to these people to escape. There was a plan, which undoubtedly relied on the complicity of some officials."
During the riots, 44 members of rival gang the Gulf cartel were killed. The L.A. Times reports that these two gangs are currently battling for control of Mexico's drug trade, but were once allies.
Those who want to find out more about the war on drugs and the recent prison breakout scandal can use international calling cards to make calls to Mexico and ask their friends about the latest news.