Tula prison break

Tula prison break
Part of the Mexican drug war
Date1 December 2021
Location20°03′37″N 99°21′42″W / 20.0603°N 99.3617°W / 20.0603; -99.3617
Result

Prison break successful

  • Nine inmates freed
  • Cartel boss escaped
  • Mexico promises to recapture inmates
Belligerents
  • Gangsters
  • Prisoners
  • MexicoMexican police
    Casualties and losses
    2 injured
    Tula prison break is located in Hidalgo
    Tula prison break
    Location within Hidalgo

    On 1 December 2021, a gang of armed men broke into a prison in Tula de Allende, Hidalgo state, Mexico.[1][2]

    Incident

    [edit]

    At around 4am on 1 December 2021, gangsters arrived at the building, they proceeded to car-ram and then blow up a pair of vehicles, catching the prison guards' attention. Gunshots were fired by the criminals.[3][4]

    Just as local security forces began to react, two more cars exploded, allowing the gang to successfully storm the jail.[1][5]

    Aftermath

    [edit]

    Nine inmates were freed,[6] including José Artemio Maldonado Mejía, more well known as "El Michoacano", a local drug lord and head of a Mexican drug cartel, the Pueblos Unidos.[2] The next day, Mexican police managed to recapture three inmates and 8 criminals involved in the prison raid.[7]

    Two law enforcement officers, one a policeman and the second a guard, were injured in the attack.[2]

    The government of Hidalgo has launched an investigation aiming to track the criminals down. The program is still ongoing.[4]

    Car bombs are a rare occurrence in Mexico; the most notable example of their usage occurring in 2010.[8][6]

    References

    [edit]
    1. ^ a b "Brazen prison break sees nine escape with help of armed men". Riviera Maya News. 2021-12-02. Archived from the original on 2021-12-02. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
    2. ^ a b c "Gangsters use vehicles to ram into Mexico prison and free nine inmates". The Guardian. 2021-12-01. Archived from the original on 2021-12-01. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
    3. ^ "Car bomb prison break frees nine inmates in Mexico". ca.news.yahoo.com. 2 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-12-02. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
    4. ^ a b "El espectacular ataque con autos bomba a un penal en México del que escaparon 9 reos". BBC Mundo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2021-12-01. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
    5. ^ "Dramatic breakout as gang rams vehicles into prison in Mexico". euronews. 2021-12-02. Archived from the original on 2021-12-02. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
    6. ^ a b "Gang rams vehicles into prison, springs 9 inmates". The Independent. 2021-12-02. Archived from the original on 2021-12-02. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
    7. ^ "Ya son 8 detenidos y 3 recapturados tras fuga en penal de Tula". TV Azteca (in Spanish). 2021-12-02. Archived from the original on 2021-12-02. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
    8. ^ Carillo, Gerardo (2021-12-01). "Gang rams vehicles into prison, springs 9 inmates". CTVNews. Archived from the original on 2021-12-02. Retrieved 2021-12-02.