Mexico City: ARMED residents of a community in southern Mexico yesterday released 20 suspected criminals they had taken captive in a standoff with a local drug gang leader who they accused of kidnapping and extorting townsfolk. The release came with mediation of authorities in Guerrero state.
Roberto Alvarez Heredia, spokesman for Guerrero Coordinating group, said 14 of the captives were turned over to their families, while only four were handed over to prosecutors for possible ties to drug traffickers.
The strange standoff emerged after residents of Totolapan, tired of kidnappings, extortion and killings, formed a vigilante group and seized 20 people as well as Mrs de Almonte Salgado, mother of local drug gang boss Raybel Jacobo de Almonte. They then posted videos offering to release El Tequilero’s mother in exchange for Isauro de Paz Duque, a construction engineer abducted by the gang.
