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On its Facebook page, the Tepalcatepec "community police" force said that over 100 vehicles full of armed men took part in the move to occupy the town of Nueva Italia, which was successfully taken after a "light confrontation" at the city's entrance.

Once inside the town, the vigilantes disarmed local police, who are often accused of working with criminal groups in the state of 4.3 million people.

Several Mexican media outlets reported the federal troops in the area observed the incursion but did nothing to intervene.