Mexico’s federal and state security forces have taken control of the municipal police headquarters in Juchitán de Zaragoza, Oaxaca, following the arrest of the city’s mayor and two other people in an investigation involving alleged links to organised crime.

The intervention took place on September 25 as federal and state authorities deployed personnel around the municipal security command. Officers from the Oaxaca Attorney General’s Office, the National Guard, the Mexican Army and state police participated in the operation.

The development follows the September 23 arrest of Juchitán Mayor Miguel Sánchez Altamirano. Mexico’s federal security authorities said the mayor and another person were arrested under outstanding warrants related to aggravated extortion and offences against state security. Authorities said the investigation was connected to a criminal network allegedly involved in extortion, drug dealing, human trafficking and homicide.

The federal government said the arrests resulted from intelligence and investigative work conducted under the Enjambre operation. Authorities alleged that public officials had provided protection that allowed criminal groups to operate in the region.

A second significant arrest followed on September 24, when Oaxaca authorities detained John Keny Moreno Segura, a former commissioner of Juchitán’s municipal police. The Oaxaca Attorney General’s Office said Moreno was allegedly responsible for offences against state investigation and security and accused him of providing protection to the criminal group known as “Los Cromos.”

Following these arrests, authorities moved to examine the municipal police structure itself.

Municipal police officers were reportedly summoned to the security command with their patrol vehicles and firearms. Federal and state personnel then conducted inspections inside and around the police facilities. Local reporting said authorities were investigating whether some municipal officers had links to criminal activity and whether officers had attempted to interfere with the transfer of the detained mayor.

Oaxaca officials have said that some municipal police personnel are suspected of having provided protection to “Los Cromos.” These allegations remain part of an ongoing investigation and have not established criminal liability for every member of the municipal police force.

The intervention has also created an administrative crisis for Juchitán. With the mayor detained and the municipal government facing uncertainty, Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara Cruz announced that his administration would ask the state Congress to formally dissolve the municipal government.

The governor said the proposed measure was intended to maintain government operations, public order and security while ensuring that municipal services continue. He also announced plans for increased state and federal security presence in the municipality.

The situation is significant because Juchitán is one of the important population centres in Oaxaca’s Isthmus of Tehuantepec region. The area has strategic importance because of its transport links and economic activity.

The arrests have also raised questions about the relationship between local government institutions and organised crime. Federal authorities have said their investigation is aimed at identifying networks that allegedly provided institutional protection to criminal organisations.

At the same time, the legal status of the people arrested remains subject to judicial proceedings. Allegations contained in arrest warrants and investigative statements must be established through the relevant legal process.

The municipal police intervention is therefore not simply a security operation but part of a broader institutional response involving federal authorities, the Oaxaca government and the state legislature.

For residents, maintaining basic services and public security remains an immediate concern as the political and administrative situation develops. State authorities have said they will increase their presence and coordinate with federal security agencies.

Further investigations are expected to determine whether additional municipal officials or police officers were involved in the alleged protection network.

The events in Juchitán demonstrate how investigations involving elected officials can quickly develop into wider institutional interventions when authorities allege that criminal networks have obtained protection within local government structures.

For now, federal and state forces remain involved in securing the municipal police facilities, while the Oaxaca government moves toward a decision on the future administration of Juchitán.