The Highway 15 Federal in Sonorawhich it was a point of violence, extortion, Illegal checkpoints and fee collection irregular to motorists to let them pass, was released after 10 years of being taken over by Yaqui groups.
On this highway, on which, last February 13, the toll payment irregular to the retinue of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradorthey took place two operations in which 27 people were arrested and made available to the authorities, according to local media.
The Governor of Sonora, Alfonso Durazoreported that the withdrawal of the blockade of civil groups was held on October 4 and 5 and that “high-powered weapons have been seized, a vehicle with handmade armor, drugs Y money”. He said that they do not rule out any line of investigation.
He assured that there will be permanent surveillance on this road to avoid new blockades and guarantee the safety of thousands of people who travel along this road.
At a press conference on Thursday, September 6, the State Attorney General, Claudia Indira Contreras Córdova, reported that they were detained in flagrante delicto for the crime of obstruction of free traffic, which is a federal crime. She did not rule out that the imputed crimes be added to those of the common law.
Regarding why it took 10 years to take this measure, he pointed out that the reform to the Article 533 of the Law of General Communications Routesapproved by the Congress of the Union last February, facilitated the intervention of the authorities.
“Previously, we did not have such a clear type in the law that established that these behaviors that we have seen for many years, in terms of roadblocks, when boating,” could constitute a crime, he commented.
He confirmed that, during the operations, they found weapons for the exclusive use of the Army and drugs, which could indicate that these Yaqui groups were in collusion or that other criminal organizations were behind them.
“There have been many cases in which, definitely in the investigations, it does make it clear to us that criminal groups are also present behind all these types of actions, of course they are, using some people from the tribes, or convincing or threatening them. , for the purpose of working in this type of illicit activities. Not all the detainees are Yaquis, but the prosecutor’s office is investigating it,” he clarified.
For her part, the head of Public Security of Sonora, María Dolores del Río Sánchez, said that the government has no intention of harming the Yaquis, but admitted that the law must be complied with.
“The investigations that are appropriate by law are being carried out. I understand that the people who were in that place were not exactly enjoying the intense rays of the sun, they were charging, they were obstructing free vehicular traffic, along that road, conduct that typifies the crime of attacking general communication routes, therefore , is under federal jurisdiction, “he said.
