Mexico's navy arrests 23 people in record drugs bust

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexico's navy said on Friday it had arrested 23 people in its largest-ever drugs bust, seizing some 8.4 thousand kilograms of illicit cargo in an operation off the country's southwestern Pacific coast.

"This represents the largest quantity of drugs seized in a maritime operation, without precedent in the history of the institution," the navy said in a statement.

The navy also seized 8.7 thousand liters of fuel and six boats of the coast near Lazaro Cardenas, in Michoacan state, and further south off the coast of Guerrero state.

"The 23 detainees, who were read their rights, as well as the six boats, the presumed drugs and the fuel, were handed over to the competent authorities for integration into the corresponding investigation," the navy added.

The seized assets are worth at least two billion pesos ($100 million), it said.

The United States has pushed Mexico to ramp up its efforts to stop drug trafficking, while Mexico has pressured the United States to do more to stem the flow of firearms to criminal groups across the border into Mexico.

($1 = 19.8473 Mexican pesos)

(Reporting by Manuel Carillo; Editing by Brendan O'Boyle)

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