By IANS/EFE,
Mexico City : A total of 3,705 people have been arrested in the past six days in a massive anti-crime operation launched in Mexico’s 31 states, officials said.
The operation – that deployed 310,000 police officers – also resulted in the recovery of 1,258 stolen vehicles.
It was launched by the National Conference of Governors in support of the government’s strategy for fighting drug traffickers and other criminal organisations.
“The fundamental purpose was to prevent and fight crime, such as vehicle theft, robberies of passengers during transport, kidnappings, recovery of arms and dismantling of criminal gangs, as well as actions intended to ensure compliance with judicial orders,” the government said in a statement.
Federal security spokesman Alejandro Poire said: “The fight for the security of Mexicans cannot and should not be a policy of just one of the levels of government. Its effectiveness in closing off the ability of criminals to operate is based on its being a permanent effort within the framework of a common front.”
A total of 15,270 people died in drug-related violence in Mexico last year. Nearly 40,000 have died since President Felipe Calderon took over in December 2006.