Smuggler shot dead and Mexican government official and five others are arrested by Guatemalan security forces who busted them with $40million of cocaine on a private jet

  • Miguel Acosta González was shot and arrested during a drug sting in Guatemala on Monday
  • The 47-year-old is the director of the Civil Defense agency in Calendaria, a municipality in the Mexican state of Campeche
  • Acosta González and at least two other men engaged the security forces in a gun battle after they were busted with 2,572 kilos of cocaine in El Petén
  • Authorities killed a 25-year-old man and also wounded the aircraft's pilot, Albán Azofeifa Chacón, a native of Costa Rica 
  • Acosta González's arrest comes after the July 18 apprehension of another Campeche Civil Defense director, Héctor Alberto García Tejocote
  • He was busted for allegedly commandeering a gang of robbers that assaulted cargo trucks

A smuggler has been shot dead and a Mexican law enforcement official and a pilot were wounded in a shootout after they were busted for allegedly transporting at least $40 million worth of cocaine on a private jet in Guatemala.

Military officials in the northern department of El Petén detected an unregistered flight on Monday and located the airfield where they arrested Miguel Acosta González, 47, the director of the Civil Defense agency in Calendaria, Campeche.

Guatemalan news station TN 23 reported that Acosta González, and Costa Rica native Albán Azofeifa Chacón, 40, were transported to a local hospital for treatment where they remained under observation.

Narcotic agents confiscated 2,572 kilos of the Class A drug. 

The Guatemalan military and narcotics agents arrested Miguel Acosta González, director of the Civil Defense agency in Calendaria, Mexico, during an operation at a clandestine airfield in El Petén, Guatemala, on Monday. The Mexican government official was one of six men nabbed for allegedly transporting $40 million worth of cocaine

The Guatemalan military and narcotics agents arrested Miguel Acosta González, director of the Civil Defense agency in Calendaria, Mexico, during an operation at a clandestine airfield in El Petén, Guatemala, on Monday. The Mexican government official was one of six men nabbed for allegedly transporting $40 million worth of cocaine

Security forces in the northwestern Guatemalan department of El Petén arrested six men and killed another after they were reportedly caught on a secret airstrip with 2,572 kilos of cocaine

Security forces in the northwestern Guatemalan department of El Petén arrested six men and killed another after they were reportedly caught on a secret airstrip with 2,572 kilos of cocaine

Guatemalan security forces present 2,572 kilos of cocaine that were confiscated during an operation in the northern department of El Petén on Monday. The sting led to the apprehension of six men, including 47-year-old Mexican national, Miguel Acosta González, director of the Civil Defense agency in Calendaria, Campeche

Guatemalan security forces present 2,572 kilos of cocaine that were confiscated during an operation in the northern department of El Petén on Monday. The sting led to the apprehension of six men, including 47-year-old Mexican national, Miguel Acosta González, director of the Civil Defense agency in Calendaria, Campeche

A group of alleged drug smugglers were caught with a cache of weapons, walkie talkies and 2,572 of cocaine on Monday in El Petén, Guatemala

A group of alleged drug smugglers were caught with a cache of weapons, walkie talkies and 2,572 of cocaine on Monday in El Petén, Guatemala

Authorities also apprehended three other Mexican nationals identified as Axili Antonio Moreno Ortiz, 33; Aarón Bello Milan, 26; and Guadalupe Peña Bonfil. 47. Guatemalan citizen, Emanuel López López, 30, was also nabbed.

Several Costa Rican media outlets reported that the 40-year-old Chacón, who piloted the illicit aircraft, was employed by the Ministry of Public Security from 2008-2010.

Servicemen and narcotics agents descended upon a clandestine airstrip in the Laguna del Tigre National Park and immediately were greeted with fire.

Some of the plastic wrapped kilos of cocaine had already been placed on a pickup truck when security forces confronted the purported smugglers

Some of the plastic wrapped kilos of cocaine had already been placed on a pickup truck when security forces confronted the purported smugglers

Guatemalan agents unload bundles of cocaine off a jet after it was confiscated in Monday's operation in the northwestern department of El Petén

Guatemalan agents unload bundles of cocaine off a jet after it was confiscated in Monday's operation in the northwestern department of El Petén

During the gun battle authorities killed one of the smugglers, a 25-year-old whose name had not been released as of Friday.

It is unknown where the private plane had initially departed from.

Agents also confiscated two pickup trucks, a SUV, an assortment of military assault weapons and walkie talkies.

The arrest of Acosta González comes after the director of the Civil Defense in the Campeche municipality of Escárcega was taken down by the police.

Héctor Alberto García Tejocote was apprehended July 18 for reportedly commandeering a gang of robbers that assaulted cargo trucks. 

Officials in Guatemala did not say where the private plane departed from before they were able to locate it and confiscate $40 million worth of cocaine

Officials in Guatemala did not say where the private plane departed from before they were able to locate it and confiscate $40 million worth of cocaine

The alleged cocaine smugglers were armed with military assault weapons

The alleged cocaine smugglers were armed with military assault weapons

The cocaine-filled private jet was piloted by a Costa Rican man who previously was employed by the Ministry of Public Security

The cocaine-filled private jet was piloted by a Costa Rican man who previously was employed by the Ministry of Public Security 

 

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