Mexican authorities have detained 27 high-ranking officials—including 10 mayors, a judge and an aide to the governor of Michoacan—on suspicion of corruption and cooperation with infamous drug cartels. These latest arrests come just a few short days after members of the Mihoacan drug cartel known as La Familia were detained. La Familia is largely considered to be one of the most violent drug gangs in Mexico.

President Felipe Calderón began his war against the drug cartels in this very same state in 2006, when he launched his first offensive against the narcotraffickers. Although authorities are no stranger to the high-level corruption and penetration of the drug cartels (even Mexico's former drug czar was arrested last year), this roundup marks the largest arrest of mayors in the country's history. Among those arrested included the mayor of Uruapan, a town that became infamous when hit men dumped five human heads on the dance floor of a local bar back in 2006.