Tuesday 18 September 2012

Over 130 prisoners escape Mexican jail

One hundred and thirty two "federal" and local convicts broke out of the Piedras Negras prison in Castaños in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila on 17 September, though state authorities insisted none was "highly dangerous," the daily La Crónica de Hoy reported on 18 September. The prisoners reportedly drilled a hole into the prison's carpentry workshop. Guards were being investigated as the breakout occurred in the morning and the list of prisoners was read out as complete in the afternoon. The interior ministry announced it would send troops to help the state of Coahuila find the convicts, Notimex reported on 17 September. Four people were reported killed that evening in the town of Castaños as police heading toward the prison were fired on; the incident was thought related to the breakout though it was not clear who died in the shootout. Police reportedly arrested one of the convicts in Castaños that night.