TIJUANA The Baja California Attorney Generals Office announced Friday night that its internal affairs unit is investigating the alleged involvement of two state police agents in the kidnapping of a man earlier this week.
The agency identified the agents as Saúl Castro Villarreal and Julio César Peña Cureces. It said that the two agents were ordered to report in recent days to the armys headquarters in Tijuana to answer questions about the abduction case.
Last Tuesday, the commander of Baja Californias Second Military Zone, Gen. Gilberto Landeros, announced that soldiers had rescued a businessman that day about 90 minutes after he was kidnapped in Tijuana by men claiming to be state police agents. He said the military had used the mans cellular phone coordinates to pinpoint his location.
In the military operation to free the victim, soldiers detained two men who had participated in the crime, as well as seize various weapons and tactical police equipment.
According to the state Attorney Generals Office, state police agent Castro Villarreal did report to the meeting with military authorities, while Peña Cureces did not.
Afterward, Castro Villarreal was turned over to federal authorities for further investigation while Peña Cureces has not reported to work since being summoned by the army, the state Attorney General Office said. The internal affairs unit is to determine if the both agents should be suspended temporarily until the investigation is concluded.
Omar.millan@sandiegored.com
