By IANS
Guatemala City : At least nine people have been killed and seven wounded in a shootout between groups of international drug traffickers in eastern Guatemala, EFE news agency reported Thursday.
The shootout occurred Tuesday on the highway to the Atlantic coast, near the Valle Dorado resort, police spokesman Faustino Sanchez said.
“Apparently, this was a confrontation between international groups of drug traffickers. They used assault rifles and grenades. The initial report is of nine people dead, seven wounded, two vehicles burned and six (people) captured, among them two Mexicans,” he said.
Dozens of police officers were combing the area where the shootout took place looking for “more than 12 people” who are said to have participated in the clash.
“Our units have captured six men who participated in the confrontation, seizing from them six AR-15 assault rifles and six automatic pistols,” Sanchez said.
The shootout occurred in Zacapa province, on the border with Honduras, in an area that security forces say is used by international drug organisations to smuggle drugs.