Throngs of people participated in the Acapulco protest on Friday; rallying through the streets of the famous seaport city and demanding that local authorities step up efforts to bring back 43 students captured by drug dealers in August.

Relatives, colleagues and other activists have been protesting through the streets of Mexico in the past month to demand the release of the group. Reports indicate that the students were captured after an altercation with the police.

Although there are some speculations that the students have been executed by drug dealers involved in their kidnap, many of the marchers in the Acapulco protest continue to hope that they will be found alive. Hundreds of police officers are reportedly searching through Guerrero for the students.

This week Mexican authorities captured the leader of the drug dealing group accused of kidnapping the students. Officials have expressed optimism that Sidronio Casarrubias Salgedo's arrest will throw new light on the activities of the Guerroros Unidos and ultimately appease the Acapulco protest by leading to the return of the missing students.

Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam has revealed that Salgedo did not order the abduction of the students, but may not have objected to it either. According to Karam, Mexican police have already taken up to 36 police officers and 17 members of the Guerroros Unidos into custody thus far.

Salgedo's arrest comes after another top leader of the Guerroros Unidos committed suicide during a confrontation with the police earlier in the week.

The head of Mexico's Criminal Investigation Agency, Tomas Zeron, has revealed that about 22 police officers in custody have confessed to handing over the students to the drug dealers.

The cops reportedly traveled to Iguala where they killed 3 students and 3 civilians before attacking and kidnapping other the 43 students. Reports indicate that in total up to 50 people have been arrested for the attack on the students of the local teacher's college.

Several high profile personalities have been implicated in the ongoing case - including the mayor of Iguala.

In the build up to the heavy Acapulco protests, on Monday rioters are reported to have set fire on parts of some Guerrero state buildings, including the government headquarters.