MEXICO CITY, (Reuters) – Mexico has fired 700  customs officers at airports and land crossings in a crackdown  on corruption that lets tonnes of drugs and weapons flow across  its borders, a spokesman for the customs service said yesterday.

Reforma newspaper reported earlier than 1,100 customs  agents had been let go after their contracts were allowed to  expire on Saturday as part of a plan to modernize the customs  service that includes cleaning up the workforce.

A new force of 1,470 agents is being sworn in to replace  the fired workers, said Pedro Canabal, a spokesman for the  customs authority, who confirmed that existing contracts had  been allowed to expire.

“This change is part of our response to new demands in the  fight against contraband,” Canabal said.
Mexico has been working to improve its customs service with  upgraded equipment to detect smuggling and improved training.
Soldiers took control of at least one border crossing at  Ciudad Juarez across from Texas to assist with the transition,  Reforma newspaper reported. Canabal said there were no plans to militarize any customs  posts.

Mexico’s rival drug cartels are locked in a war for control  over lucrative smuggling routes into the United States. More  than 13,000 people, mostly drug gang members, police and  soldiers, have died in the violence since President Felipe  Calderon took office in Dec. 2006, pledging to crush the  smugglers.