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Matehuala Police Chief Detained After 7 Missing Electricians Found Alive

The case tests efforts to root out police collusion in a region where traveling workers face forced recruitment.

Overview

  • The Matehuala police chief, held Monday night after an anonymous tip about a parked patrol car, was found with 52 baggies of marijuana, three of crystal meth, and an official vehicle, according to state security forces.
  • Prosecutors have not confirmed his role in the disappearance of the workers, though several outlets report the arrest is being examined for links to the case.
  • In a separate action, authorities arrested a former municipal commerce director with 29 doses of marijuana and a pickup truck, and his possible ties to the same events are under review.
  • The seven electricians from Cárdenas were located alive on Monday, March 23, following a joint search by state and federal forces that included the Army, the National Guard, and the State Civil Guard.
  • Workers told local media they were taken to a safe house, blindfolded, tied, and told they were being recruited for electrical work, reflecting a broader risk to itinerant laborers in the area and prompting a local security meeting to tighten protections.