A federal judge in Mexico City ordered the release of 27 out of a group of 31 cartel members arrested by authorities earlier this week. The arrests resulted from a large-scale raid that led to the discovery of narco-labs, bunkers filled with drugs, a rocket launcher, grenades, and several weapons. In that raid, authorities also discovered various altars with human skulls and other offerings used in witchcraft rituals.

On Thursday evening, Judge Felipe de Jesus Delgadillo Padierna ruled that police illegally arrested 27 members of the Union de Tepito cartel and ordered their release. According to Mexico’s El Universal, Delgadillo claimed authorities fabricated the evidence used for the arrest and that officers used violence against five females arrested in the raid.

As Breitbart Texas reported on Tuesday early morning, more than 600 city cops, 147 Mexican Marines and 90 detectives carried out a large-scale raid on a series of buildings in the area known as Tepito in Mexico City. During those raids, authorities found two labs used to manufacture synthetic drugs, various underground tunnels, bunkers filled with drugs — two and a half tons of marijuana among others — a rocket launcher, several grenades, and numerous other weapons.

The raid targeted the operations of the ruling cartel in Mexico City known as Union de Tepito. Authorities initially arrested 31 members including five women. The group’s current leader, known as El Lunares, managed to escape. Authorities believe he was tipped off moments before the raid.

Mexican federal law enforcement sources revealed to Breitbart Texas that several high-ranking police officers in Mexico City are currently under investigation for allegedly being on the payrolls of the Union de Tepito.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.