Mexican official: About 40 dead in shootout in cartel area

MEXICO CITY -- A Mexican official says about 40 people have been killed in large-scale firefight between law enforcement and criminal suspects in western Mexico.

The official said almost all the dead were suspected criminals. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

The gunbattle happened in area between Michoacan and Jalisco states that is known as a stronghold of the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel, which has mounted several large-scale attacks on federal and state forces in recent weeks.