Hundreds of armed vigilantes reportedly seized a town in Mexico, arresting local police officers.

Local reports indicate around 1,500 members showed up Tierra Colorado on Wednesday after the vigilante leader was allegedly killed by local law enforcement. The town located on the highway connecting Mexico City to Acapulco, according to Associated Press.

The group of vigilantes set up checkpoints and searched homes. The group is self-described "community police" arresting 12 police officers and the town's ex-security director, handed them over to state prosecutors to investigate the allegations of corruption and other illegal activity tied to the drug cartels.

"We have besieged the municipality, because here criminals operate with impunity in broad daylight, in view of municipal authorities. We have detained the director of public security because he is involved with criminals and he knows who killed our commander," the group's spokesperson Bruno Placido Valerio explained in a statement.

A tourist heading to the beach was opened fire by the group Tuesday after the driver refused to stop at one of the checkpoints, officials said.

Such groups of vigilante group have been growing and most of them have the best interest of residents at heart, government officials tend to tolerate their methods. Members of the group say they are attempting to combat kidnapping and extortion plots executed by drug cartels.

However some have expressed their concerns that the vigilantes may be violating the law, the human rights of people they detain, or even cooperating with criminals in some cases.