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Four Found Shot In Head Near Cancun Resort, Including Alleged Corrupt Cop

MEXICO-HEALTH-VIRUS-TOURISM

Image not from story (Photo by ELIZABETH RUIZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Mariane Angela News Reporter
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Authorities confirmed Friday that four men were found shot in the head near a resort on the outskirts of Cancun, New York Post reported.

Luis Rodríguez Bucio, assistant head of Mexico’s Public Safety Department, revealed authorities found the victims were fatally shot with gunshot wounds to the head near a highway exiting Cancun. Among the deceased was a Cancun police officer previously accused of accepting bribes in exchange for protecting local brothels, according to the New York Post. Despite the allegations, he was not dismissed from his duties and was on medical leave at his time of death.

Adding to the grim scene, a former local police officer was detained after he was discovered rifling through the pockets of one of the deceased, claiming the man was a friend. Authorities speculate the men might have been involved in protecting operations that smuggle migrants, New York Post reported. Cancun’s strategic location on Mexico’s Caribbean coast and its extensive airline network make it a hub for illegal migrant transit, further complicated by the high volume of tourists.

View of the almost empty beach of a resort in Cancun, Quintana Roo state, Mexico, on March 28, 2020. – A significant drop in the number of tourists is registered in Mexico’s resorts due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by ELIZABETH RUIZ/AFP via Getty Images)

The recent violence may be linked to a prior raid that resulted in the seizure of guns and drugs in Cancun, according to Bucio. He also noted the majority of the 88 murders recorded across Mexico on Thursday were connected to drug cartel activities, the outlet reported. These cartels are increasingly involved in both drug trafficking and migrant smuggling, competing for dominance over lucrative routes along the coastal resorts. (RELATED: Illegal Immigrant With Alleged Cartel Ties Charged In Connection To Shooting: REPORT)

This incident occurred shortly after another event in Cancun, where gunmen on jet skis opened fire on a beach, killing a 12-year-old boy who was caught in the crossfire while with his family, according to the New York Post.