#news Mexico army kills 11 suspected gangsters, arrests two

MEXICO CITY, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's army killed 11 suspected gangsters and arrested two others in an armed clash in the northern state of Tamaulipas, the army said Thursday.

The clash took place on Wednesday afternoon near Nueva Ciudad Guerrero, a city that faces the U.S. state of Texas across the Rio Grande.

After the gunfight, soldiers arrested two man, who confessed that they were members of the Los Zetas drug cartel. The gang's main business is smuggling drugs into the United States. It also smuggles people across the border and engages in extortion and kidnapping.

Following the Wednesday incident, soldiers seized 11 kg of marijuana, nine rifles, four handguns, one rocket launcher and 22 cartridges for a variety of weapons.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon launched a campaign to crack down on drug trafficking and other crimes shortly after he was sworn in in December 2006. So far nearly 30,000 people have died in violence linked to the drug trade.

Sphere: Related Content