TIJUANA, Mexico – Mexican soldiers captured at least 10 suspected members of a Tijuana-based drug cartel in a raid on a child's baptism party in this border city, officials said Sunday.

A total of 61 people were arrested in the sweep late Saturday, including the band hired to play the party and three city police officers, Baja California state police spokesman Agustin Perez told The Associated Press.

Authorities had been tracking the movements of suspected members of the Arellano Felix drug cartel for days and acted “at a moment when they were vulnerable,” the spokesman said.

Soldiers also seized various rifles and handguns, police uniforms, 460 grams of methamphetamine and 5,000 rounds of ammunition at the party, held at a rented Tijuana event hall known as the “The Little Rascal.”

Perez denied initial Mexican military reports that alleged cartel cell leader Filiberto Parra Ramos could be among the 10 suspected gang members arrested.

The Arellano Felix cartel dominates the drug trade along the U.S.-California border.

President Felipe Calderón has deployed 25,000 troops across Mexico to wrest back territory from well-armed drug gangs, which have fought back with bold attacks.