El Salvador's police chief resigns amid scandal

SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - El Salvador's national police chief stepped down on Saturday after local media reports accused two close advisers of corruption and links with drug traffickers.

Two aides to police chief Francisco Rovira resigned on Friday after media investigations said one ran a private consulting firm with suspected drug traffickers as clients and the other used police license plates without authorization.

"This morning, (Rovira) told me he wanted an open and transparent investigation and that's why I accepted his resignation," President Tony Saca told a news conference.

Rovira said he had no knowledge of the accusations against the men, both former customs officials, according to Prensa Grafica newspaper.

The deputy police director, Jose Luis Tobar, will temporarily replace Rovira, said Saca, a conservative U.S. ally.

Police corruption is common in Central America, a major drug trafficking corridor. The U.S. government estimates some 75 percent of Colombian-made cocaine destined for the United States passes through the region.

El Salvador has one of the highest murder rates in Latin America but many crimes are unsolved.

(Reporting by Alberto Barrera; Editing by Peter Cooney)