Narco War Next Door

I am from Juarez Mexico and I defnally think that it's fucking.... Bullshit on what this narco faggs are doing to Mexico
Mexico use to be a place were you went and had fun and get fuckd up on tequila for very cheap price now you can't even walk down the street with out having to witness somebody
getting wackd bullshit!!! I think the USA should go over there and rule ass!!!

I am from Juarez Mexico and I defnally think that it's fucking.... Bullshit on what this narco faggs are doing to Mexico
Mexico use to be a place were you went and had fun and get fuckd up on tequila for very cheap price now you can't even walk down the street with out having to witness somebody getting wackd

Why did Current delete this video? Right as I'm watching it?

I cant belive they are praying to a ST.Narco wtf is that ? people have nothing to belive in anymore. good luck to us all....

We don't buy Mexican weed here in Cali, barely any weed gets bought from there these days. Which has caused a lot of this war.

What the hell are we buying their weed for? Don't we produce enough of our own? Does Mendocino County, California ring a bell with anyone?

Nat Geo did pretty much this same documentary I think last year, it is really terrible what is going on.

Hey, I love vanguard. But I also love the music on the advert. Can anybody tell me what song it is??
Thanks

Great job on the story. My family & I are from Culiacan, and although it is not as bad a Juarez it is still very dangerous. Family that is still there is often talking about how many drive by shootings happen on a daily basis and in broad daylight. These criminals literally own the streets and people are very afraid. The problem seems to be never ending because of the corrupted authorities and leaders that it feels hopeless. It is very hard to believe that all this is happening because of illegal drugs, so many lives lost. Very well. Thank you for showing this to the world.

the positive side of me cant wait for the day Juarez is part of El Paso again, unfortunately I believe the Drug War will consume them both if it doesn't end.
A million Mexicans could die before our politicians would even glance at the problem., even then all they do is throw up another fence, camera and hire more Guns. (And make sure their immediate family profits from it)

whats sad is most of our local politicians have friends or family there and they seem numb to it.

Were all so distracted by these self created enemies in Iraq and Afghanistan.

For What?

LEGALIZE and REGULATE MASS PRODUCED DRUGS and you will control the sale.

Prohibition never works.

Amazing reporting. Really is chilling. Sure does sound like a collapsing state to me... when you've got drug lords building roads, hospitals and bringing electricity to the people... isn't that what governments should be doing? Sounds like everything is backwards. How do you change a tide like that??

What's the difference between weed and alcohol? or cigarettes? Would decriminalization and regulation in the US defuse a lot of the value under the drugs? Wouldn't that be a way to reverse things? And instead of spending so much money and blood on fighting the drug war, the government could make tax money off of it? I know it's not that simple... but it feels like our countries have tried this "Drug War" thing long enough, and it's only getting worse. Why not try a different direction?!

Anyway, it's good to see some REAL reporting going on. Thanks CURRENT. Wish you were on the major networks so the non-internet folks could learn about this stuff. Instead they watch Glen Beck and listen to Rush Limbaugh... what a waste of our public air-waves.

well growing up in El Paso Tx and having famliy members in Juarez Mexico. For an elpasoen going across the border was a every day thing i saw all the killing and the drugs but ppl minded there own business back then but now its just crazy , and when i saw this segment it hit home hard and wonder if my love ones are safe everyday . thanks for doing this ppl need to know whats going on with out watering the truth down

I live in Culiacán, and in the beginning I didn't thought that the report would go so far. Sadly the situation is as you mention it.
Keep working on

Thank you so very much for covering this touchy topic.

My whole family from my grandmother's side is from Juarez, Mexico and I have heard first-hand from her just how horrible it is there. I'm glad that American viewers can finally get coverage on what so many are oblivious to now.

Once again, thank you very much.

this is interesting because as a people we are a sick mass that exalts and indulges in terror and pannic served to us on a plate (tv). thanks for the direct service. i have another ground breaking story for you.. ghetto folks in the US are destroying their communities with hard drugs and glorifying it in ghetto anthems/videos. theres even a music genre to go along with it like these mexicans have. what is your part in this babylon? ganja is not the problem.. we have used it from long time and we always will. now is the time to rise above our foolishness yall.. bless
ps ..what is that monster jam playing durring the credits!?

Thought-provoking and scary. Well executed -- and thank you for reporting this issue so well.

Yet another amazing and highly informative segment on all levels, by the Vanguard team. Excellent reporting.

THIS ISN'T GOING TO STOP, THEY NEED MONEY JUST LIKE AMERICAN'S NEED MONEY ALSO. THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN MAKE IT IS ILLEGALLY, THE ONE'S IN MEXICO. IF THEY WOULD HAVE LET THEM WORK HERE, THIS WOULD'NT BE GOING ON NOW! I HOPE THAT THE GOVT IS HAPPY THEY ARE GETTING PAYED BACK FOR DEPORTATION AND NOT HELPING THEM BE SELF SUFFICIENT. TAKE YOUR MEDICINE NOW AND DON'T COMPLAIN!!!!

http://current.com/groups/make-marijuana-matter/

Make Marijuana Matter Group

Hemp Helpers please join this Group

Stand Up for your Rights

Lets Get Cannabis on current....

Lets get our voice Heard !!!

stop the drug war

I saw this over the weekend! I seen this 4 times just to get it through to me what was happening. They all need to be stopped soon. That is why there is no money being made in Mexico. My husband is from there. He is there now? He has alway's sold drugs, also because it was easy money. He was deported now for 20 years now. That's they only way to stop him.I know there is no other way's to make money, the jobs over there are underpaid, they make$2.00 a day, for working from dusk to dawn. That's why they sell drugs, and want to come to the usa to live.

I would like to buy a copy of this segment. Can you help. I teach Basic Narcotics investigations and I would like to include part of this segment in my class. Thank You

I teach Basic Narcotics Investigation at the Ventura County Sheriff's Academy and I would like to obtain a video or dvd on this segment title Narco War Next Door 89845362

Once Americans see this documentary, more actions must be taken to reduce the violence out in Juarez:
Options to consider:
1. All US states putting the 2nd Amendment to a halt to
end the smuggling of weapons into Mexico
2. The Mexican government starting a civil war against
the drug cartels, and with US support and that of
other developed countries, so that justice for Mexico's
civilians prevail
I propose this because from this Vanguard documentary I'm watching, the cops aren't doing anything enough to stop the violence as more men are being buried and residents continue to shop as they see ambulences on a daily basis.

I'm proud of Vanguard and Current TV for broadcasting this documentary since such long-term tragedies such as the Juarez-Narco Killings goes unoticed when I watch world news. This 'war' has been going on since 1993, and I never heard the media ever touch on this chao. I wound up learning about this story last year at a college seminar as a group of panelist discussed the Narco Wars and its impact on women and children. They described how 600 local Juarez women were brutally murederd by these Narco drug lords since 1993, and how 450 more were missing to this day. in public, women would be kidnapped by these Narco police/ drug lords at any time in the day and would be used as sex-slaves. Then the audience including myself saw a video list of the multiple ways these women were murdered. Girls as young as 4yrs old to women as old as 55, even pregnant teens, were either shot to death, incinerated, beheaded, ran over by a fast-moving car, stabbed and butchered etc. The police and news broadcasters in Mexico would refer to these homicides as "prostitute slayings" when such disasters goes known to the public. Though Vanguard did an excellent job with publishing this story, I feel that the producers/ editors for "Narco War Next Door" should've incorporated this part of the story into their documentary if they haven't already.

Awesome work, it is a sad reality that such heartless things like this keep occuring. Thank you Current TV for another great documentary. God Bless and keep up the awesome work.

it's amazing how juarez has become more so, such a mess. i have been there are two occasions. and the last time, i was on the backdrop in one of the poorest areas of the city. and it was definitely a place where you had to be aware of your surroundings and always traveling in groups or pairs - not just b/c of the unknown, but b/c of potential dangers.

corrupt cops: i remember one instance where two of the guys in our group went to pick up another friend @ and airport. i don't remember whether or not we were in juarez-- BUT they pulled over and told they looked drunk as they cops noticed them bopping to music. despite the fact that they understoond the cop, the acted dumb, offered him a back of "dum-dum" suckers and a hundred bucks. the cops left them alone. it seems ironic or almost funny, but the truth is- it goes to show how easy many cops there can be bought and how easy they could slip into corruption etc.

well reported and researched. very informative report.

i pray for your safety in current circumstances.

Amazing. I was at a lost of words after watching this. I had read and heard of the things that we were indirectly fueling in Mexico, but the report gave me a uncomfortable shake, which I think is necessary to even to begin to reflect the situation there.

This is just another reason, upon many others, to review our drug policies - especially for marijuana. The drug issue of the Economist had provided very nice logistical arguments, however this episode of vanguard provided the soul of a very human problem.

Thank you for this.

Excellent journalism. I live in El Paso and this is all true. Before the violence Juarez used to be a beautiful place. I remember during my childhood me and my family would go to Juarez every other weekend to visit friends, go to a party, or go to a wedding or a quinecañera. We would have a blast and we wouldnt leave until 2, 3, or 4 in the morning. On our way back to El Paso we would drive around Juarez during early hours of the morning without any worry at all. We would always stop and eat the best burgers in the world at a street food stand at 3 AM without any worries. But sadly those times are over and it doesnt seem like they will be coming back any time soon. Nowadays we wont even be out in Juarez during dark.

if drugs were legalized and regulated, all this violence would stop.

why does the government feel it has to "protect" us from bad things?, alcohol is worse than marijuana and countless studies have debunked the myths held by many concerning marijuana

by having this war on drugs the government is killing more of it's own people than if they planted landmines.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090325/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/clinton_mexico

Masterful journalism. This report captured the heart of this crisis. Incredibly informative, emotional, and provocative.

Laura,
This is another excellent example of the intelligent, in depth, important work that you and current tv are known for. Thank you.
--Mike

I live in El Paso and i use to go to Juarez every weekend to go to the clubs. But i won't risk i anymore. I'm so glad that this is being brought to the attention of the rest of the US, even though it did take a year to finally get the medias attention. Some of the stories you hear are just horrible. For instence, the cut off the heads of the men so that their mother won't be allowed to give him an open casket. Or if the person has backstabbed someone, they will cut off their finger and stick it up there butt so that they know what they were murdered for

Outstanding field report. A perfect example of what happens when a government neglects the basic principle of counterinsurgency: The People are the prize. There's no way the Mexican government can kill its way out of this fight, they've got to re-tool their army for winning back the people to their side.

Very strong stuff but its all so good to understand and know what is going on. I do hope and pray from the bottom of my heart that some how something will change Mexico for the better.

Thank you for posting Laura DON'T STOP LETTING THE WORLD KNOW!!!!!

Oh my God! It's is so important. I will spead to word because it is must see. Please keep this up.

Great pod. It's so sad that this is actually going on, it frightens me to know that I actually have family over in danger everyday. You were very and I mean VERY brave to go over there Laura.

I was just about to comment about the lack of in-depth coverage about the growing problem of drug trafficking in Mexico, but then I came across this piece. Thank you so much for informing viewers about this crisis.

With thousands of weapons pouring into Mexico daily, there are certainly some issues that remain unresolved in Mexico. It's amazing to me to watch the history of drug trafficking in Latin America. It was only several years ago that we were dealing with the same issue in Colombia. This time, though, the impact is felt much closer to home and, as you have reported, drug trafficking is actually beginning to affect us on our own soil.

I would have liked to have seen an additional interview with an analyst from a Texas newspaper who has veteran experience in covering this area. I feel like this would give a better perspective on border relations and add a different dimension to an otherwise great piece.

Great work Laura and Current TV!

I wish I could enjoy a vacation in Mexico, however the drug addics in the Untied States need their drugs from Mexico. We should exile these United States drug addics to Mexico.

Thank you for giving everyone an in-depth look at this. People need to be educated more on what's going on.

I changed my vote to DOWN after watching this propaganda. At 4 min's in to it all I heard was FEAR and PROPAGANDA with no mention of the governments lead in the drug smuggling and war and violence!? How about the banks that would collapse if the drug war ended!? They launder the cash baby!! This "reporter is just regurgitating what they have been trained to believe!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_VlUej-Uu8
We need to dig deeper folks!
Sure there is death and piles of cash but that is because of the governments WAR on DRUGS! The WAR ON DRUGS creates the market!
I thought at 13:20 into the show that o good there going to talk about the corruption!? But NO they talk about some mindless puppets and never dug deep enough!
Tunnels!? PLEASE the real smugglers use CIA planes -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oszATUJ4IRE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EI1QlOLUAE
28:50 this so called professor!? With Mexico's rich history of shamans!? DISGUSTING PROPAGANDA!
Don't use there chemical drugs! Fight terror and grow your own medicines and sacraments!

Maybe if drugs were made legal then the cartel has now financial power. It's that's simple. Less people would die.

this is great nothing new though i live in el paso and known how corrupted it has been since i've been a 5 years old. My dad a retired homicide detective was asked to meet with the Mayor who first wanted to try and take back Juarez from the cartels and a week after the released his plan of action he was dead. sucks many of my friends have been affected and some are even dead. Laura you did an amazing job i love it all, I only wish i could have met you when you came down i know so many people that could tell you stories.

It's funny how after Bush gave Calderon a pile of cash "to fight the drug war" and then Obama pledged his support for the "war" that now we see all this violence? Could it be like how Opium production went up 2000% after US troops occupied Afghanistan? I'm not saying I'm smart or I learned anything by researching the drug war and finding viewpoints like Kevin Booth's film American Drug War and Alex Jones reporting to be in line with what I have found to be true.... But er uhhh it seems that for the peaceful ganja user in the USA the family, home destroying violence and the private prison industry profit seems to be the evil doings of the government and it's slave puppets that we label as "cops" and "troops"? What it comes down to is if anyone supports the wars on drugs and terror that person is an enemy traitor of the Republic of the USA.

Great work and you and your team are on top of the game. Sad Sad story.

great doco. it made me cry so many times. i really enjoy watching it. it revealed new stories to me

I just want to thank everyone who has posted about this issue. Many of you have called me brave, but it's the wonderful people in Mexico, who are just trying to lead normal lives, that are the brave ones. Thanks for watching and keeping this discussion going.

Great reporting, Laura! Really enjoyed your coverage and I think you got as close as you could to the situation safely without getting in trouble. The whole situation makes me feel really helpless, and I hope that the number of courageous individuals willing to fight for normalcy and justice increases (like law enforcement, journalists, government officials, national guard, etc.) I wish something else grew well in that region.

I live in El Paso and see signs of this conflict everyday. One of my co-workers that lives in Juarez and works in El Paso brings the news paper from there everyday, and there's always a killing on the front cover. The fact that El Paso and Juarez really are sister cities and mass amounts of commerce moves through the borders everyday gives a definitive answer to whether or not the violence in Mexico has affected El Paso. In my apartment complex alone, the parking lot is full of very nice cars ( Im talking Hummers, Yukons, Escalades) and all with Chihuahua license plates. So many people with money, and without, and fled across the border to escape violence. And it's been said around here that some of these people are being killed in the U.S. and are brought back across the border.

By the way, the police chief she talks about being wounded was brought to an Army hospital in El Paso, which they then had secured at all exits with armed men.

EXCELLENT REPORT, Laura you did a great Journalist job. You actually gave more information in half an hour that the Mexican Goverment wants to accept.

Awesome as always.
The part I found really interesting was the possible intervention the U.S could make to help. It really makes you rethink the motives behind the border wall and patrol. Where as on the surface it appears to be the work of xenophobic conservatives for the soul purpose of keeping immigrants out, this piece showed the extremely positive effect it can have on preventing illegal drugs from being transported to where they can garner money.This seems like an area where America can greatly impact a foreign country for the better without even necessarily passing acts that have no effect domestically, and it can be done bi-partisanly. The conservatives get their border patrol amped up, and the liberals get increased gun control measures passed. We can play a major part in ending this situation.

Great pod, very informative I had no clue this was actually happening. I'm speech less very powerful. I still don't know how you do it, you have guts.

Just an addition to this: Perhaps you could do a follow up to this to investigate how NAFTA has hurt the small farmers of Mexico and in turn made many of them turn to drug cultivation ( and increased illegal immigration.) This is also in the wake of agribusiness companies such as Monsanto contaminating their tradititonal corn varieties illegally with transgenic pollution form GM corn travelling over the border, thus making it harder for them to farm tradititonal crops.

This was an incredible and sad report. Hats off to you, Ms. Ling. How much effect would you say NAFTA has had on this drug war? And why isn't the government cracking down harder on this crime? It is as if they have allowed it to get out of control.

It is a travesty how people in this beautiful country have to live. Building walls won't stop the violence. There needs to be a change in policy. We need to go after theh guns being sold in this country that arm these cartels. People there also have no real jobs to speak of, no opportunity, and a government that seems to not care about that. Wouldn't any of us try to get over the border if we had to live like this?

Great journalism! A horrible conflict. And if one listens closely, the solutions are woven within the story. The primary obstacle: Mexico is helpless to overcome this without meaningful measures taken in the US.

Wake up everyone!! Some of you think this only has to do with weed, and legalization of weed in the US??? Heroin and cocaine are packaged in much smaller volume than weed and easier to smuggle. Have you seen media reports on home grown weed in the US,which many believe is better than anything coming out of Mexico? Bottom line is that the demand for drugs in the USA is fostering all the trouble in Mexico. People of the USA "STOP USING DRUGS" period. Than and only than can we in the US put a small dent into all the atrocity that is currently going on in Mexico. cya uncle Joe

Wow this was a really strong article, Ling you guys did an awesome job covering this problem Mexico has right now and you are the bravest women i know !! This past September i visited my hometown in Jalisco and all friends and family would talk about was the killings and the threads they had on different Narcs in the surrounding towns. Its a battle that will last and wont stop anytime soon.....
sad to watch people die every single day over this battle.....

Excellent job Ling. I am highly impressed with the attention to detail to facts, authorities interviewed and the perspectives portrayed.

One word Awesome :)

Woah, woah back up. Are you blaming Americans? People in Mexico use the drugs too. I'm Mexican-American and I don't see how blaming one group or another is going to help. The ONLY responsible ones are the fucking narcos that are killing people not the stupid drugs. Colombia also has problems with the Colombian cartels.

Good evening to all. As a mexican citizen I applaud and i am very grateful for your report; it is an extremely accurate account of what we have to live through every single day; however one subject which I believe was not emphasized was the root of the problem; the insatiable need for drugs in the US. Due to the lack of coverage by the media there is widespread ignorance about the consequences of using so-called "recreational drugs" that only end in the spilling of blood of innocent people. As some people have already mentioned the legalization of drugs will (hopefully) stop (again hopefully) or at least decrease the spiral of violence. It's good to hear that California is moving in that direction.

TRY LIVING IN PHOENIX. KIDNAPPING IS @ AN ALL TIME HIGH. AND MEXICO IS TELLING US NOT TO GO. THIS IS REAL PEOPLE.

this was so intense. thank you for sharing this, and for willingly putting yourself in danger to do so. more people should watch and be aware.

Laura, my wife and I, who have family in Juarez, watched this with sadness. You are a brave young lady and you did a great job! Americans-your insatiable appetite for illegal drugs fuels these murders!

I watched this lastnight,it was sad. I have many friends from Juarez, and other parts of mexico and they are some of the best people I know. Mexico should be in our prayers they're our neighbors.

This situation is a direct result of US drug policy. Its good to see stories like this, most Americans have no idea the breadth of this situation.

Laura, thanks again for this great video and expose on narco-terrorism in Mexico. It really opened my eyes and made me sad. I just saw this news release from our Attorney General on this coordinated effort from all law enforcement elements! Great job!

Obama Administration Orders Nationwide Raids vs. Sinaloa Cartel

February 25, 2009 (LPAC)--At a 2 p.m. press conference in Washington, D.C., Attorney General Eric Holder announced that 52 members of the Mexican Sinaloa drug cartel in California, Minnesota and Maryland had been arrested today, culminating a 21-month investigation by a DEA-led multi-agency taskforce known as "Operation Xcellerator," which has specifically targeted Mexico's extremely violent Sinaloa Cartel.

Holder announced that "During the last 21 months of this operation, more than 750 people have been arrested in the United States and Mexico. More than $59 million in illegal drug proceeds and large amounts of narcotics and weapons have been seized in the United States by law enforcement authorities, including more than 12,000 kilos of cocaine, 1,200 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.3 million ecstasy pills and more than 160 weapons. These are enormous amounts of narcotics, drugs otherwise destined for our streets."

The operation included arrests in over 100 US cities, and the seizure of three aircraft, three maritime vessles, nearly 150 vehicles, and 169 weapons. Media accounts put the value of the seized drugs as in the range of $1 billion.

Holder described the operation as "the largest and hardest hitting operation" to ever hit the Sinaloa Cartel," adding: "These cartels are not just operating in Mexico. Their reach stretches far and wide. We simply cannot afford to let down our guard. These cartels will be destroyed."

The dramatic announcement--and statement of intent--from the Obama administration, came as horrendous drug-linked violence has escalated along the U.S.-Mexico border. One Justice Department official told Fox News: "Combatting violence on the border was the whole point of the operation."

Attorney General Holder said at the press conference: "I particularly want to thank our counterparts in Mexico for their important support of this operation. I met yesterday with Attorney General Medina Mora of Mexico and we discussed the unprecedented levels of violence his country is facing... [We] will continue to work with our counterparts in Mexico, through information sharing, training and mutual cooperation to jointly fight these cartels, both in Mexico and the United States."

Acting DEA director Michele Leonhart, who also spoke at the press conference with Holder, added that, "From Washington to Maine, we have disrupted this cartel's domestic operations ... and seriously impacted their Canadian drug operations as well." She pledged that the DEA would continue to cooperate with Mexico and Canada in shutting down the Sinaloa Cartel operations for good.
http://www.larouchepac.com/node/9331

That was very brave of you to cover this story. Even though the U.S and Mexico have such inter-twined histories, dating back to their beginnings, the U.S media has failed to warn the American public of the threat of drug violence that has sprung out of prohibition. We owe it to the citizens of Mexico to urge intelligent debate on how we should deal with drugs as to not empower these thugs who destroy societies with mass muder.

second comment... wow what a story. sometimes i just don't know how vangaurd is able to do it all

Laura, thank you for covering this and including the gruesome truth about what is going on. Regardless of the proximity to America, the problem of corruption, violence, and drugs continue to downward spiral at a disturbing rate. You have compelling images and interviews... and some images will haunt me for a while. Even though I read about these articles, and aware of the severity of this issue, seeing this piece humanizes the situation. It is no longer an article to read and forget about until the next act of violence is reported. As an aspiring journalist, I recognize the emotion and danger you (and your production team) were put in to make this story. Thanks again.

i have school al day. grrr... this makes me miss chat sessions

The Mexican Cartel make Al Capone's mafia look like the little rascals. Is this America's marijuana prohibition success?

The amount of drug-trafficking related deaths in Mexico in 2008 is more than the total amount of American soldiers that died in the whole war in Iraq. How many more have to die? Is keeping marijuana illegal worth the price of thousands of human lives?

Great work! A truly sad look into violence in society today. Leave it to Current TV to go into depth on a story that other major American media outlets only spare 30 seconds of airtime to.

Superbly done. Important and chilling. Thank you.