Generals face charges over drug gang ties

Mexico has brought formal charges against three generals for alleged ties to drug cartels, 
in what is seen as the biggest armed forces corruption case during president Felipe Calderon’s administration.

Retired generals Tomas Angeles and Ricardo Escorcia, active general Roberto Dawe, along with Lieutenant Colonel Silvio Isidro de Jesus Hernandez, were detained two months ago as part of an investigation into their alleged links to the once-powerful Beltran Leyva drug cartel.

The four men were being held in custody, but will move to a federal prison following a judge’s decision to arrest them.

The arrests are a scandal for the Mexican army, which has been at the heart of the government’s war on drugs.

More than 55,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence since Mr Calderon launched an army-led offensive against the cartels shortly after taking office in December 2006.