Mexican man held for 52 murders
January 7th, 2012 - 9:04 am ICT by IANSMexico City, Jan 7 (IANS/EFE) A Mexican drug cartel leader has been arrested for planning an arson attack on a casino that left at least 52 dead, officials said.
Baltazar Saucedo Estrada, 48, was arrested along with two other people of the Los Zetas drug cartel.
During interrogations, Estrada alias “El Comandante Mataperros” confessed to ordering the Aug 25, 2011 arson attack on the Casino Royale in the northern industrial city of Monterrey.
Authorities said Estrada also confessed to ordering the kidnapping and murder of several police officers in Monterrey.
Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office had offered a reward of up to five million pesos (around $360,000) for information leading to his arrest.
Many people have been arrested for the casino massacre, but authorities were still trying to track down another 17 suspects.
The suspects have told authorities that Los Zetas gunmen torched the casino because the gaming establishment refused to pay protection money.
The gunmen told the people inside the casino to get out before setting fire to the building, but the emergency exits were closed. The majority of the 52 victims died from smoke inhalation, with only seven burning to death.
Founded by deserters from an elite special forces unit, Los Zetas began as the armed wing of the Gulf drug cartel, but went into business for themselves in March 2010.
–IANS/EFE
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Tags: alias, arson attack, baltazar, casino royale, deserters, el comandante, emergency exits, gaming establishment, gunmen, jan 7, los zetas, mexican drug cartel, mexican man, mexico city, monterrey mexico, police officers, protection money, setting fire, smoke inhalation, special forces