Border mayor, cop charged as gunrunners

COLUMBUS, N.M. (KRQE) - According to New Mexico Sheriff from Luna County, Raymond Cobos, and Lieutenant Mooradian, ATF, DEA and state police conducted a raid Thursday morning in Columbus, New Mexico.

They took 11 people into federal custody, including the mayor Eddie Espinoza, the chief of police Angelo Vega and city council member Jose Blas Gutierrez.

They are being held on drugs and weapons charges.

The raiding parties included New Mexico State Police officers and agents of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. One of the locations raided was the mayor's home.

Columbus, located about two miles north of the international border, now has three police the village, and one of them is on administrative leave. The Luna County Sheriff's Office will be helping to patrol the village.

There are no more details at this time.

Our sister station, KRQE News 13, is still investigating the situation in Southwestern New Mexico and will post updates as they become available.