Mexican police arrest 62 in organized-crime raid

UNION-TRIBUNE

June 23, 2008

TIJUANA: At least one municipal police officer was among dozens of people arrested Saturday night in an organized-crime sweep, Baja California police officials said yesterday.

Baja California officers raided a baptism intending to arrest people connected to the Arellano Félix drug cartel. Sixty-two people, including 10 who have ties to the cartel, were arrested, said Agustín Pérez, a spokesman for the state prevention police.

Police said they were tipped off that members of organized crime would be at the baptism at the banquet hall, El Pequeño Travieso in the colonia Herrera, about 9 p.m. They stormed the celebration and found about 90 people at the hall. Some were armed, officials said.

Among the items seized were two black sport utility vehicles, handguns, police radios, Tijuana Municipal Police uniform patches and 460 grams of methamphetamine.