Mexico City, D.F.-Three federal police officers were killed during a shooting at Mexico City's International Airport about 8:50 a.m. today.
An ongoing investigation into narcotics trafficking through the airport and the involvement of corrupt federal agents working with drug dealers is behind the events, sources say.
The shootings were in Terminal 2, which handles foreign arrivals and departures. Some disruptions in service were reported, as emergency personnel, criminal investigators and heavily armed police and military units rushed to the scene. A contingent of Mexican marines arrived within a half hour.
One severely wounded agent was air evacuated to a local hospital, where he later died.
The bodies of the other two victims remained on the airport floor for more than an hour, while forensic specialists conducted a preliminary investigation.
The shooters were male. The events occurred by a food concession area, where 14 or 15 rounds were fired. The assailants fled immediately.
Police corruption at the federal level may have led to shootings
A Mexican news network has reported that the murdered federal officers were participating in an undercover investigation of narcotics trafficking through the airport. The investigation was focused on corrupt federal agents allegedly working with drug dealers. The three officers went to Terminal 2 this morning to make an arrest. Fellow agents shot them to avoid capture: Mueren tres policías por tiroteo en AICM; investigaban narcotráfico y a supuestos federales corruptos coludidos con traficantes.
Airport witnesses interviewed by the network are appearing on hourly news broadcasts today. Several said they saw uniformed officers exchanging fire, which would confirm the story of internal corruption.
Mexican local police forces, especially at the municipal level, have long been regarded as heavily infiltrated by organized crime. But federal units were thought to be very reliable. Even president Felipe Calderón, who has based his 66 month old drug war strategy on the use of military units until local police are "cleansed," reconstituted and retrained, has referred to federal units as a model for the rest of the nation. Today's horror in the capital's crowded international airport draws into question whether any part of the war on narcotics trafficking and organized crime is working (Felipe Calderón tells Wall Street Journal, "violence in Mexico is declining").
[See also: U.S. drug czar tells House that Mexican police are heavily infiltrated].
Witnesses say there was panic immediately after the shootings. Some people hid in restrooms, while others fell to the floor. Airport security officials with guns drawn told people to conceal themselves, which added to the terror. Many children were crying, according to press accounts.
Terminal 2 remained open, but reports say it was congested with law enforcement officials, press and media representatives and curious onlookers.
Video clip of the first minutes after the shooting
The execution of three federal agents comes six days before Mexico's 2012 presidential election, in which domestic security themes are of paramount importance. More than 55,000 people have been killed in the drug war since December 2006, and the nation remains locked in a death struggle with international drug cartels and organized crime. Last week a U.S. security consulting firm reported that narco violence here will almost surely rise in the coming months, portending new problems for the next administration: Mexican drug cartels will morph into "super gangs," says U.S. security firm.
July 24 - Europe-bound drugs pass through Cancún, Mexico City airports
July 10 - Amplia estructura criminal en el aeropuerto
July 9 - Investigan a federales
June 29 - Aeropuertos, en manos del crimen organizado
June 27 - "Narco Feds" operating out of Mexico City airport sent huge amount of drugs to U.S., Europe, aided by Mexican customs agents
Related stories
U.S. State Dept. issues Mexico-wide alert, warning of "anti-American violence"
Cancún International Airport serves as major gateway for Europe-bound cocaine
Area of the shooting (video outtakes)
Things will get worst in Mexico in coming days.
ReplyDeleteThings sure are escalating... Mexico is going to get much worse when the Colombian drug czar swears in for top security position. It's hard to imagine I was passing through that area just 6 months ago. Now former DHS head Michael Chertoff is going to make more money selling those naked airport body scanners to the Mexican government(8x X-ray radiation level) and cavity search will be the daily norm to Mexican passengers much like how their American counterpart are being treated.
ReplyDeleteThey're crawling out of the woodwork.....
ReplyDelete