Mexico City, Feb 10 (EFE).- Six people linked to the rapes last week of six Spanish tourists in the Pacific resort of Acapulco have been arrested, but the suspects have not yet been charged, sources close to the investigation told Efe Sunday.
Spokesmen for the Guerrero state Attorney General's Office responded to questions from Efe by refusing to confirm or deny arrests had been made.
Relatives of the unidentified suspects, however, confirmed that the men were under arrest.
The suspects worked at restaurants located between Barra Vieja and Playa Encantada.
The six men were transferred to a prison in Mexico City, whose authorities are assisting Guerrero state investigators with the case, the sources said.
The investigation is being handled by Guerrero authorities with assistance from the Federal Police, army and navy.
"Six people were arrested Friday evening at their jobs in restaurants located in Barra Vieja," the district on the east side of the resort city where the rapes occurred during the early morning hours of last Monday, the acting police chief in Lomas de Chapultepec, Adrian Sanchez Silva, told CNN.
Investigators questioned "from 12 to 15 people" over the past few days about the incident, Barra Vieja precinct chief Freddy Palma told Milenio TV.
Federal Police officers and state AG's office personnel arrested the suspects without warrants, relatives said in a complaint filed with the Guerrero State Human Rights Commission on Saturday.
Some of the suspects' relatives went to the prosecutor's office in the El Coloso section of Acapulco to request their release.
The men are innocent and have been held incommunicado since Saturday, relatives said.
"They didn't show them any papers or a warrant" before detaining them, Flor Garcia told Efe.
Garcia's brother, Juan Carlos Sanchez Silva, was arrested on Friday afternoon.
Juan Carlos's son, Samuel Sanchez Flores, was also arrested, Garcia said.
The two men are from Barra Vieja and earn a living renting mopeds to tourists in the Encantada beach area, the woman said.
Guerrero Gov. Angel Aguirre met with the suspects' relatives on Saturday.
The suspects' family members said the perpetrators may be from outside Barra Vieja and Playa Encantada, where the rapes occurred.
Those responsible for the rapes will be arrested and punished, and there will be no "scapegoats," Aguirre said.
On Saturday, Spain's King Juan Carlos called Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto to thank him for his efforts in helping catch the individuals who raped the six Spanish tourists last week, Royal Household officials told Efe.
Gunmen raped the six Spanish tourists around 3:00 a.m. last Monday in Playa Bonfil, located in the eastern section of Acapulco, one of Mexico's most popular tourist destinations.
The victims and several male companions were outside their bungalow when five masked assailants armed with handguns accosted the group.
After gagging the men, the attackers forced the group inside the bungalow and assaulted the six Spanish women, though they spared a Mexican woman who was with them.
The victims' ordeal lasted for about three hours and the assailants took PCs, cell phones, credit cards and other valuables when they left, officials said.
