Michoacan Judge Accused of Releasing Drug Cartel Suspects Fired

Efrain Cazares, a federal judge for the Mexico state of Michoacan accused of improperly releasing drug cartel suspects, was fired Wednesday, the Associated Press reports.

Mexico’s Federal Judiciary Council did not give specifics, according to the AP, but stated that Cazares was removed from the bench for "serious offenses in his judicial duties."

Previously, federal prosecutors in Mexico accused the judge of ignoring evidence when he released some of the state of Michoacan’s mayors who were accused of collaborating with a drug cartel known as La Familia.