Mexico hijacks illegal iron ore ship

Mexican authorities hijacked a drug cartel ship carrying 68,000 tons of illegal iron ore. Authorities received an anonymous phone call after the ship left the port of Lazaro Cardenas.
The mayor of the city was arrested on suspicion of having links with drug traffickers. Mexico has seized more than 200,000 tons of illegal iron ore in recent months, most of which was on its way to China.

Jian Hua's ship was detained near the Pacific port of Manzanillo. The company that the ship worked for now has 30 days to prove to authorities that the iron ore was legally extracted from Mexico.

Lazaro Cardenas is one of the main port cities on the Pacific coast and is considered a drug trafficking hotspot. The city's mayor, Arquimedes Oseguera, is accused of having links with the drug cartel, which he denies. The city's treasurer was also arrested on suspicion of having links with the group.

In addition, the group is suspected of smuggling iron ore and is also one of the main suppliers of methamphetamine to the United States. Their leader, Servando Gomez, is believed to be hiding in Lazaro Cardenas County. Farmers in western Michoacan have long complained about the cartel's rule.