Mexico, US offer 5.8-million-dollar reward for killers of US agent

Mar 30, 2011, 16:59 GMT

Mexico City/Washington - Mexico and the United States set rewards Wednesday totaling 5.8 million dollars for information on the killers of a US customs agent in February.

The US departments of state, justice and national security issued a joint statement offering a reward of up to 5 million dollars for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the death of customs officer Jaime Zapata and the attempted killing of special agent Victor Avila.

The funds would come from the Narcotics Rewards Programme of the State Department, which was established in 1986.

Mexico's Attorney General offered 830,000 dollars to anyone supplying 'truthful and useful information' on this case.

Several members of the Los Zetas criminal gang have been arrested in connection with the ambush that claimed Zapata's life on February 15 on a road in San Luis Potosi, about 400 kilometres north of Mexico City.

The two agents of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency were travelling in an SUV with official licence plates when they were intercepted by a commando. Zapata died in the attack, while Avila suffered minor gunshot wounds.

The FBI and the ICE have launched a 24-hour telephone hotline to get information and have hired Spanish speakers to deal with callers who speak no English.

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