Fired State Police Chief Mexico

18 April 2011 last updated at 00: 51 GMT of the Mexican navy captured the alleged mastermind of the murders on Saturday in the Mexican State of Tamaulipas has the head of security after the discovery of 145 bodies in mass graves earlier this month dismissed.

Former Army Gen Ubaldo Ayala Tinoco was from another former soldier, Capt. Rafael Lomeli Martinez replaced.

The Governor said the new Chief coordination with the army and the federal police in the fight against drugs gangs would improve.

The killings have been blamed Zetas drug cartel on that.

More than 20 suspected cartel members in connection with the murders, including the alleged mastermind of the massacre have been arrested.

But the suspected to protect the criminals 16 State police officers were arrested.

Battlefield

Outgoing Tamaulipas said security chief gene Ayala he resigned was because the Government had to provide for higher wages and better facilities, the State police.

His successor, Capt. Lomeli, was previously head of the federal police in Nuevo Leon, a different northern border State where drug-related violence widely used is.

He said he was pacifying Tamaulipas, which is the scene of a bloody battle between the Zetas and the rival Gulf cartel, in the United States for the control of drug trafficking routes are required.

The mass graves with 145 bodies were found in the municipality of San Fernando, near the US border.

Most of the victims are thought to of long-distance buses travel north to the U.S. border be been kidnapped.

The motive for the murders is unclear, but some have speculated that the cartel armed men could have killed, who refused to join their ranks.

Last year, the bodies were found by 72 of Central and South American immigrants in the same area.

Mastermind

On Saturday, the captured Mexican marine Omar Martin Estrada - alias "El kilo"-the alleged leader of the Zetas in San Fernando and alleged mastermind of the murders.

Forensic scientists have worked to identify the body, have been taken by some to Mexico City.

Hundreds of people, their loved ones have disappeared, gone to see if they can identify their family members among the dead.

The Mexican Government says that since President Felipe Calderon began sending troops against the cartels in the December 2006 about 35,000 people in drug-related violence have been killed.

More than 5,000 people reported missing, according to human rights Commission of Mexico.

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