Gunmen kill nine in western Mexico

Source: Xinhua | 05-11-2009 13:25

MEXICO CITY, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Gunmen killed nine people in three separate attacks in the western Mexican state of Michoacan on Saturday, local authorities said Sunday.

According to the state attorney general's office, a group of hit men broke into a local ranch, shooting dead five employees as well as a bull and four horses.

Also on Saturday, three brothers were shot dead in the city of Zamora while another person was killed by gunmen in the city Arteaga.

The motives for these attacks are still under investigation, the office said.

In the city of Cuernavaca, the federal anti-drug police on Sunday arrested 11 men and three women involved in alleged weapon smuggling and put them under house arrest for 40 days awaiting interrogation.

Local media reported that the detainees were possibly members of the Beltran Leyva, one of Mexico's most powerful drug cartels.

Also on Sunday, four people were arrested in the border city of Tijuana in northern Mexico for alleged drug trafficking and organized crimes. Police also found over 542,000 U.S. dollars in cash in their vehicles.

According to media reports, President Felipe Calderon has sent more than 45,000 troops to step up anti-drug operations since he took office in December 2006.

Editor:Zhang Yun