MONTERREY, Mexico — The chief of police of Reynosa, the city across the Rio Grande from McAllen and Hidalgo, was detained by federal police Thursday, according to Mexican media reports and officials.Statements issued by Reynosa’s city hall said Juan José Muñiz Salinas was detained at 1:20 p.m. by federal police officers.
City officials said the arresting officers presumably had a warrant requiring Muñiz to appear before federal authorities, but said they did not know about any charges against him.
Mexican news media reported Muñiz was arrested on suspicion of collaborating with the Gulf Cartel, the regionally dominant narcotics smuggling organization.
A federal police official said Muñiz was in custody but was unable to provide specifics.
The Reynosa police force was one of numerous Mexican border city departments raided by the military in January. Soldiers seized weapons for ballistic tests.
The January raids came after four officers in Nuevo Laredo, across from Laredo, were arrested on suspicion of relaying information on police operations to drug traffickers.
Analysts said the raids were probably to send a message to local police forces, which are often threatened or bribed into cooperating with drug gangs.
Muñiz recently criticized the raids in an interview with the Washington Post, suggesting that anti-narcotics investigators should direct their attention at state and federal police and the military.
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