At least 44 members of the criminal organization "The Knights Templar" were arrested by the Mexican Army on Monday, after a firefight between criminals and members of civil self-defense groups known as Autodefensas in the state of Michoacán.
The officer of the Federal Commissioner for the Security and Integral Development of Michoacán, Alfredo Castilla Cervantes, told the media that a firefight took place on Monday, April 21 at around 9:00 a.m., local time, near the Benito Juárez neighborhood, in the municipality of Huetamo, according to Univisión.
According to the same source, various armed individuals traveling on trucks and wearing Autodefensas shirts clashed with a group of actual Autodefensas.
After 45 minutes, the Mexican Army arrived and turned the tide against the criminals, capturing 44 people who authorities belive belong to the Knights Templar cartel.
War between cartels
After arresting the criminals, Alfredo Castillo reported that Federal forces had taken back control of Huetamo shortly after 1:00 p.m.
In the operation, 40 firearms were taken from criminals disguised as autodefensas
- Alfredo Castillo C. (@Comisionadomich) April 21, 2014
Although for the moment the detainees have not been fully identified, an investigation indicates that the 44 people were members of the Knights Templar cartel, a criminal group operating in the Tierra Calienta region of Michoacán.
However, the community leader of Autodefensas, Estanislao Beltrán, said that autodefensas groups did not participate in the firefight, but rather people wearing shirts of this organization who were facing another criminal cell, according to Proceso.
Beltrán told Proceso that the people wearing autodefensas shirts belonged to the Guerrero cartel, which plans to replace the Knights Templar in the region; however, this has not been confirmed by Mexican authorities.
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