US police chief in 'guns for Mexican gangs' probe

The mayor and police chief of a New Mexico border town are among 11 people due to face court charges that they participated in a ring alleged to have illegally sent firearms to Mexico.

An indictment said the defendants had engaged in a conspiracy - based in Columbus, New Mexico - to buy firearms since January 2010. Officers executed search warrants at the Columbus Police Department, a gun shop and eight homes.

The town is best known for a raid by Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa nearly a century ago.

The indictment alleges the defendants bought firearms favored by Mexican cartels, including weapons resembling AK-47 rifles, but with shorter barrels, and 9mm calibre pistols. Authorities also said 12 firearms purchased by defendants were later found in Mexico.

Mayor Eddie Espinoza, police chief Angelo Vega and town trustee Blas Gutierrez were among those accused of firearms and smuggling charges in the 84-count indictment unsealed on Thursday.

The defendants are accused of falsely claiming they were buying the 200 firearms and ammunition for themselves when they were actually acting as "straw purchasers" - buying firearms on behalf of others.

Mexican officials fighting that country's increasingly violent drug cartels have complained to US officials about the flow of firearms.