Mexican Marines Executed in Piedras Negras, Coahuila

A blog based in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico is claiming that 2 marines were executed and a third marine abducted by gunmen along the Texas-Mexico border in Piedras Negras, Coahuila.

According to the information posted, the incident occurred at approximately 5 PM on Sunday, June 6 as the soldiers ate at the restaurant “La Estrella” on Roman Cepeda street.

The 3 marines were attacked by an unknown group of gunmen who fired at close range. The bodies of the 2 dead marines were thrown into the back of the gunmen’s pickup and taken away. The third wounded marine was kidnapped by the criminals. His fate remains unknown.

A detachment of marines is in Piedras Negras and is leading operations against members of organized criminal groups. The attack was in all likelihood an act of retaliation by a band of narcos against these marine operations.

Mexico's marines have acted as the government's primary strike force in operations against the drug cartels. Previous successes have included the raid that resulted in the death of Arturo Beltran Leyva, head of the Beltran Leyva cartel, in December 2009as well as the seizure of huge arms caches and the arrests and deaths of other important drug cartel figures this year.

On Monday a naval aircraft flew over the city as rescue operations and searches for weapons and drugs throughout the city continued. More clashes are expected as public threats have been issued by organized crime groups.

Civil authorities warned the population of Piedras Negras not to frequent night clubs or to remain on the streets late at night due to these threats. A formal curfew has not been imposed.

Feelings of outrage and sorrow were expressed by the inhabitants of the city against the criminals who perpetrated the attacks against the marines.

It is acknowledged that organized criminal activity in the Piedras Negras plaza is under the control of a particularly strong faction of the Zeta drug cartel.

The incident has been confirmed by the naval ministry according to the blog source.

Another violent incident also occurred early Sunday morning in Piedras Negras in the “Casino Oasis”.

In this attack a grenade was thrown inside the casino which is located next to the Quality Inn hotel. A panic ensued among the audience and a woman suffered shrapnel wounds.

In another action by marines along the U.S-Mexico border 2 members of the Zeta drug cartel were apprehended in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. They were identified as Hugo Homero Garcia of Nuevo Laredo and Alberto Aguilar Toledo from Santiago Laollaga, Oaxaca.











$100,000 in U.S. currency, weapons, communications equipment, drugs and 1 vehicle were also seized.

The 2 Zetas were flown to Mexico City and put into the custody of SIEDO, the department within the PGR responsible for the fight against organized crime.