Mexico City, Dec 11 (IANS/EFE): Three members of a criminal organisation were arrested by police in Jalisco state in connection with more than 200 murders, as well as kidnappings and extortion, the Mexican National Security Commission said.

Felipe Viveros Garcia, 30, Jose Bernabe Lopez Alcaraz, 43, and Froylan Barrera Morales, 40, allegedly committed "the crimes of criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, extortion, murder and arms trafficking and possession," the commission said in a statement Tuesday.

Their arrests, which were carried out in a joint operation with the Attorney General's Office, were the result of an investigation by police in the cities of Tomatlan and Zapopan, the commission said without providing the date of the arrests.

Viveros Garcia ordered and participated in more than 200 killings of kidnapped victims, members of rival gangs and drug dealers in different cities in Jalisco and state of Guerrero, investigators said.

Lopez Alcaraz and Barrera Morales allegedly led gangs that monitored the activities of the authorities, provided security to members of the criminal organisation and managed communications gear, the statement said.