Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Central European News

Video Credit: CEN

Two police officers have been suspended after they were caught on camera allowing a New Year’s reveller to fire their automatic rifle into the air.

An eyewitness with a smartphone filmed the incident in the city of Culiacan, the capital of the north-western Mexican state of Sinaloa.

The footage shows the man take the rifle and fire off a volley of shots into the night sky, next to a police truck, before handing the weapon back to a smiling cop.

However, it sparked controversy after it was posted on social media and video-sharing platforms where it quickly proved popular with viewers.

Police spokesman Oscar Quinto Marmolejo later confirmed the two police officers involved had been identified and were under investigation.

They had also been ordered to undergo medical tests in order to find out whether they were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

“As it is an administrative process they are not arrested but they are not allowed to wear weapons,” Mr Quinto Marmolejo added.

Jesus Estrada Ferreiro, the mayor of Culiacan, said both cops had more than 10 years’ service and should have known better.

“It is sad and it is shaming for me, as they had lot of experience with the police,” he said.

Police are also trying to identify the man seen firing the rifle in the video who could face criminal charges.

Officials in Sinoloa have been trying to clampdown on people firing guns into the air at public celebrations.

The state is regarded as one of the country’s most dangerous and is home to the notorious Sinaloa Cartel, subject the Netlix series, Narcos: Mexico.