16 police workers released after being kidnapped in southern Mexico

Mexico City [Mexico], July 1 : After three days of captivity, 16 police employees kidnapped in southern Mexico were released on Friday, Rutilio Escandon, governor of Chiapas state confirmed.

"I want to inform the people of Chiapas and Mexico that the 16 kidnapped SSyPC companeros have been released this afternoon. We thank the President @lopezobrador_, the Mexican Army, the Navy, the National Guard, the Prosecutor's Offices and the State Police for their collaboration," Escandon tweeted on Friday.

According to El Sol de Mexico citing first reports, all the abductees were released at approximately 5:15 pm on Friday (Local Time), near the Libramiento Norte, in Tuxtla Gutierrez.

One of the workers recounted that the kidnappers left them on a mountain -the location of which they do not know- and gave them a van.

There they received the indication to leave, they were also told that the keys to the truck should be given to the Secretary of Public Security and Citizen Protection (SSPyPC).

When they arrived at the North Beltway, 16 men got out of the truck and reached the office, where their relatives were holding a protest. As soon as they saw them, they ran to look for them and hug them after 72 hours of anguish, reported El Sol de Mexico.

The 16 workers are part of the administrative department of the Chiapas SSPyPC, near Ocozocoautla, which just last Monday was named a Magical Town.

The 16 workers were kidnapped on Tuesday while they were heading to Tuxtla Gutierrez after finishing their workday.

Two vans intercepted the vehicle, at kilometre 130 of the Ocozocoautla-Tuxtla highway, and its occupants violently subdued the administrative staff, who, since they were not armed, could not resist and 16 of the 40 occupants were kidnapped.

A day later, a video was circulated where the officials were seen to be in good health, but they were forced to give a message conditional on their release in exchange for the dismissal of SSPyPC police chiefs, El Sol de Mexico reported.