Mexican Marines Kill 8 Criminals in State of Tamaulipas

The shootout between Mexico's marines and a criminal gang resulted in death of eight criminals in the northern state of Tamaulipas, representatives of local law enforcement agencies said in a statement on Friday.

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) — The incident occurred last night in Reynosa, a city with the highest crime level in Tamaulipas state, after criminals attacked marines.

The Mexican authorities are carrying out a large-scale operation aimed at capturing one of the leaders of the criminal organization and drug cartel, known as the Gulf Cartel.

Tamaulipas, located on the border with the United States, is a major transit point for drug and people smugglers. The state has long been engulfed in conflict between two major gangs – the Gulf Cartel and the Zetas.