Last weekend, the Attorney General's Office of the State of Mexico carried out Operation Atarraya in 20 municipalities of the entity, closing down 312 establishments such as barbershops or beauty salons. This joint action involved various federal and state authorities, including the National Guard and the state Security Secretariat.
Two agents from the attorney's office are under investigation for alleged irregularities during the raids, where drugs were planted in some establishments. Operation Atarraya, which took place for the first time last December, has generated controversy in the Government Palace of Toluca regarding the continuation of this type of operations in the future.
The justification for these closures lies in concerns about illicit activities related to high-impact crimes that are allegedly carried out in these establishments. Links to homicides, kidnappings, sexual crimes, drug dealing, and extortion have been mentioned, causing unrest among the political class of the State of Mexico.
Agents of the Edomex Attorney General's Office have expressed their discontent, stating that the Secretary of Security, Omar García Harfuch, seems to underestimate local authority by directing these actions. Reports indicate that the cooperation of local police has diminished in these operations, which could explain the accusations of drug planting in the closed establishments.
It has been circulated that Harfuch did not request authorization from the State Government for this operation until his agents were already at the Edomex Attorney General's Office. For her part, Governor Delfina Gómez has supported the actions of the Federal Security Secretariat, although there are doubts about the legality and viability of future interventions of this kind.
