MEXICAN POLICE FORCE SUSPENDED

A governor in Mexico has suspended his entire state police force after
two senior officers were jailed amid accusations of aiding a drug cartel.

The governor of the central state of Morelos, Sergio Estrada, said he
was suspending the force of more than 550 officers pending an
investigation.

He said their weapons had been taken away and offices placed under
guard.

Mr Estrada pledged to restructure the force to ensure officers were
well trained and respectful of ethics.

Last week, the state chief of police Jose Augustin Montiel was
arrested, along with his operations director Raul Cortez Galindo.

Both were remanded in custody on suspicion of helping the powerful
Juarez drug cartel fly cocaine shipments from Colombia into Mexico.

The cartel - named for the northern border city where it is allegedly
based - is said to be one of the country's major drug trafficking
organisations.

Correspondents say police corruption is a serious problem in Mexico.