The six Chapala policemen who were detained last month on suspicion of colluding with the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) crime syndicate have been put behind bars to face formal charges of attempted homicide, illegal deprivation of liberty and association in organized crime.
Officers Mario Alberto Cruz Calvario, Horacio Efrain Rivera Rosales, Isaac Barrionuevo Vazquez, Felipe de Jesus Ojeda Palacios Ernesto Chavez Bautista, and Juan Garcia Lopez had been held in protective custody since March 23 pending investigation of an incident in which two men from Ajijic were shot and left for dead on the outskirts of Mezcala.
The victims survived, alleging they had been put in the hands of CJNG hitmen after being abducted in Chapala by officers Cruz and Rivera. The accused later implicated the other four policemen in aiding and abetting the criminal group.State prosecutors determined there was probable cause to press charges, prompting the issuance of arrest warrants early this week by the Chapala criminal court.
Filling the gap
Meanwhile, the Chapala police department is now in the process of recruiting new personnel not only to fill the slots left open by dismissal of the six men suspected of corruption, but also to boost the force to a total of 120 officers.
Commandant Ramon del Arco tells the Reporter that the city is particularly seeking recruits who are new to police service. All candidates will be put through a rigorous hiring filter, with applications to be reviewed by the mayor and other top echelon municipal officials.