Suspected drug gang hitmen have ambushed a police convoy in the western Mexican state of Sinaloa, killing eight officers

The gunmen, traveling in three or four vehicles, began shooting with automatic weapons, an official said. The state is home to one of the country's most powerful drug gangs, the Sinaloa cartel run by Mexico's most wanted man, Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman. More than 28,000 people have died in drug violence since late 2006. The police officers were patrolling a road 50 miles from the state capital, Culiacan, when they were attacked. The killings highlight the challenges for Mexico's police as they and other security forces seek to take on the drug gangs. Officers are also drawn into working for the gangs in order to supplement their wages.