U.S. halts avocado imports after abduction of USDA inspectors in Mexico
(BREITBART) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture halted the importation of avocados and mangoes from Mexico following the abduction of two of its workers in a state known for cartel violence.
Earlier this week, the USDA confirmed information published by Mexican news outlets about the temporary halting of produce inspections until further notice. While the USDA has not revealed the reason behind the move, several national news outlets in Mexico reported that two USDA inspectors had been abducted in the state of Michoacan.
According to El Sol De Mexico, the incident took place last Friday when a group of gunmen claiming to be a community police force in the town of Paracho, Michoacan, stopped the inspectors, took their vehicle, phones, and computers, and detained them for a day. Despite the efforts by Mexican officials to downplay the issue, community police forces in Michoacan have a history of being a front for the various drug cartels that operate with almost complete impunity in the state.