Durango Judge Detained for Allegedly Offering Million-Peso Bribe

Authorities in Durango, Mexico, have arrested a judge on suspicion of bribery. Margarito “N,” a Judge of the First Instance at the State Superior Court of Justice, was detained in the act after allegedly offering a bribe of one million pesos to a public servant.

The alleged bribe was intended to influence the reclassification of several criminal cases that were under the judge's supervision. The investigation was initiated following a telephone report from a state prosecutor's office official.

According to the report, the judge had arranged to meet the official in the parking lot of a self-service store to hand over the money. The informant stated they had the suspect in sight and requested the immediate intervention of the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for the Fight Against Corruption's Investigative Police.

Upon arrival at the scene, law enforcement officers located the accused judge. They confiscated the bribe money and discovered a firearm in the vehicle the judge was using. Margarito “N” was subsequently taken into custody and placed at the disposal of the competent public prosecutor.