Mexico sends 2,800-strong staff to fight crime in northern states

The Mexican government has sent over 2,800 staff to the two northern states of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon for an operation in its latest drive in the fight against organized crime, said officials on Sunday.

Officials from "the Defense Ministry, the Navy, the Security Ministry and the Attorney-General's Office will take part in this new effort against organized crime in these two states," Interior Minister Francisco Ramirez told reports.

The operation began this weekend, marking that now altogether eight Mexican states are subject to major army and police operations, said Ramirez together with ministers of defense, security and justice.

Noting that "the Mexican state is stronger than the crime," Ramirez said, "The Federal government is determined to rescue the territory where criminals operate."

Mexico witnessed over 2,000 murders in 2006, most of which are believed to have links with drug smuggling.

The Mexican government began a series of anti-crime operations late last year shortly after Felipe Calderon was sworn in as the country's president on Dec. 1.

Source: Xinhua