Mexican miners' alleged kidnappers thought they were rival group, government says

By Brendan O'Boyle

Feb 10 (Reuters) - A group of 10 miners kidnapped in northern Mexico last month may have been mistaken for members of a rival criminal group, Mexico's security minister said on Tuesday, after authorities questioned initial suspects in the case.

Authorities in the violence-plagued state of Sinaloa reported on Monday that they had recovered 10 bodies in the search for workers kidnapped from a mine run by Canada's Vizsla Silver Corp VZLA.TO, though the Mexican attorney general's office said it has only identified five of the bodies.

"The detainees’ initial statements indicate that the victims were mistaken for members of a rival group," Security Minister Omar Harfuch said at President Claudia Sheinbaum's daily press conference on Tuesday, adding that four suspects have been detained so far.

Harfuch said the suspects belonged to the Chapitos, a faction of the Sinaloa cartel led by the sons of former drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, noting the faction is in conflict with a group known as the Mayos, suggesting the miners were confused with that group.

The group was kidnapped at the end of January from a silver mine in an area security authorities say is under the control of the Chapitos.

Mexico's government sent more than 1,000 troops, including elite marines, to the area to try to locate the missing miners.

More arrests are expected, Harfuch added.

Harfuch said there had been no prior reports or complaints of extortion or criminal harassment involving Vizsla Silver Corp, although similar cases have occurred elsewhere in the country, leading to investigations and arrests involving companies.