Police offered pay rise to deter defections to drug cartels

The governor of a Mexican border state will give state police officers a 20% pay rise in an effort to deter them from joining drug cartels. Nuevo Leon state Governor Rodrigo Medina said the pay rise would only be given to officers who passed...

The governor of a Mexican border state will give state police officers a 20% pay rise in an effort to deter them from joining drug cartels.

Nuevo Leon state Governor Rodrigo Medina said the pay rise would only be given to officers who passed "confidence control checks" proving they had no links to drug gangs.

The low pay of police is often blamed for the ease by which gangs recruit officers.

Mr Medina said state police officers earn 8,800 pesos (687 US dollars) per month.

Mr Medina's announcement comes days after seven local officers were arrested for allegedly working for the Zetas drug gang and helping kidnap and assassinate Mayor Edelmiro Cavazos last week in retaliation for the mayor's attempts to cut corruption.

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