Thirty cartel members held

MEXICO CITY (AP)

Mexican marines captured 30 suspected Gulf cartel members and seized an arsenal of weapons during two days of raids in a northern border state torn by drug-gang battles, officials disclosed on Wednesday.

The arrests came as Mexico's government said organised crime-related killings have fallen so far in September, compared to previous months.

Government security spokesman Alejandro Poire said an average of 36 such killings were recorded in the first 24 days of September, compared to 49 killings a day in June and August.