Mexico Fights Back Against Kidnappers

Mexico has deployed a hastily formed anti-kidnapping force after public outrage over an increase in the number of kidnappings across the country, and evidence that police officers are among the most vicious perpetrators.

The federal government has deployed the new force in five operational centers, which it says has the latest technology and crime-fighting expertise. The unit's 300 agents are also to be paid well and regularly submitted to strict honesty tests, all part of an effort to convince the public that this time they can trust the police.

The avalanche of security measures follows the discovery two weeks ago of the decomposing body of the 14-year-old son of a well known businessman. Fernando Martí had been killed by his kidnappers and left in the boot of a stolen car despite payment of a ransom of over 5m pesos (£265,000).

He had been abducted in June along with his driver, who's body was discovered soon after. His bodyguard was left for dead but survived.

The kidnapping took place after the boy's car was stopped at a police roadblock near the National Autonomous University of Mexico in the south of the capital. Detectives are investigating the involvement of a gang known to involve police officers called La Banda de La Flor (the flower gang), so called because of their ritual of putting flowers by messages.

As part of the initiative to crackdown on the crime, President Calderón called on all levels of government to "purge, modernize and professionalize the municipal, state and federal level police forces". At the same time parliament received a government initiative to increase sentences for kidnappers who belong, or belonged, to the security forces.