Police in Morelos have arrested 10 suspected crime gang members connected with drug trafficking and homicides, including that of a farmworkers’ leader involved in the creation of community self-defense forces.

Security Commissioner Alberto Capella told a press conference today that the suspects have been linked to the crime gang leader known as El Ray, who is believed to be connected to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

The gang is suspected of killing Romualdo Ixpango Merino after he announced the formation of self-defense groups in Ayala and Cuautla to protect communities against organized crime. His partially-burned body was found on Tuesday in Cuautla. He had disappeared on Saturday.

“It is believed that these subjects took the life of the farmworkers’ leader after he called on the municipalities of Ayala and Cuautla to rise up in arms against organized crime,” Capella said, because they saw him as a threat.

The 10 arrests were made in two operations, one in Chinameca, Ayala, and the other in Año de Juárez in Cuautla.

Capella said the primary objective of security forces is to arrest the gang leader known as El Ray.

Rising crime in Morelos, particularly extortion, has triggered the formation of self-defense forces in at least nine municipalities.

Source: Milenio (sp), El Sol de Cuernavaca (sp)