tagged w/ Mexican Drug War
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Frustration among Mexicans over President Felipe Calderon's inability to stem drug violence is spawning acts of vigilantism. Local officials and average citizens are taking it upon themselves to stop the violence in their neighborhoods
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120422640Frustration among Mexicans over President Felipe Calderon's inability to stem drug... more
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GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) -- Police arrested a man Tuesday who they say headed the operations of the "La Familia" drug cartel in the western state of Michoacan.
Abel Valadez Oribe, 32, was reportedly heading for a cockfight when police stopped his car and arrested him, authorities said. They said police were tipped to his whereabouts by several informants.
Police said that Oribe, known as "El Clinton," was allegedly the mastermind behind several murders, including the assassination last year of Salvador Vergara, the 33-year-old mayor of Ixtapan de la Sal, a popular weekend retreat.
U.S. authorities arrested more than 300 people Friday in a sting focused on La Familia.
Also on Tuesday, Mexican police found dismembered remains of a man in plastic bags by the side of a road in Uruapan, another city in Michoacan, which is one of the areas most affected by drug gang violence. He was believed to around 30 years old.
Cracking down on another cartel, police said Tuesday that they had detained five suspected associates of the Gulf drug cartel for alleged involvement in violent clashes that killed four people in the central Mexican state of Hidalgo last week.
The Hidalgo state prosecutor's office said the suspects are affiliated with the Zetas, the drug ring's infamous hit men. It said the five had firearms and a grenade when police apprehended them last Thursday.
A federal judge ruled they can be held for 40 days while authorities continue the investigation.
Drug gang violence has surged in Mexico since December 2006, when President Felipe Calderon took office and ordered a nationwide crackdown on drug traffickers.GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) -- Police arrested a man Tuesday who they say headed the... more
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Who says we don't produce anything anymore?
ARCATA, Calif. - Stiff competition from thousands of mom-and-pop marijuana farmers in the United States threatens the bottom line for powerful Mexican drug organizations in a way that decades of arrests and seizures have not, according to law enforcement officials and pot growers in the United States and Mexico.
Illicit pot production in the United States has been increasing steadily for decades. But recent changes in state laws that allow the use and cultivation of marijuana for medical purposes are giving U.S. growers a competitive advantage, challenging the traditional dominance of the Mexican traffickers, who once made brands such as Acapulco Gold the standard for quality.
Almost all of the marijuana consumed in the multibillion-dollar U.S. market once came from Mexico or Colombia. Now as much as half is produced domestically, often by small-scale operators who painstakingly tend greenhouses and indoor gardens to produce the more potent, and expensive, product that consumers now demand, according to authorities and marijuana dealers on both sides of the border.
More at the LinkWho says we don't produce anything anymore?
ARCATA, Calif. - Stiff competition from... more
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Smoke was seen rising from the prison in the town of Gomez Palacio, and gunshots were heard.
Officials said the violence resulted from rivalry between gangs in the jail.
State official Jorge Torres said that while the situation was now calm the overall atmosphere was tense. He described the prison as a "time bomb".
He told Mexican TV the fighting was a "dispute for dominance" and suggested that inmates being held on federal drug and organised crime-related charges might be behind the violence.
'Dynamics disturbed'
"We have a significant number of criminals linked to organised crime," he said, quoted by the Associated Press news agency.
"I think it is precisely the federal inmates who disturb the internal dynamics of the penitentiary, and they place the governance of it at constant risk."
Durango has been the scene of clashes between the Gulf and Sinaloa drug cartels in recent months.
President Felipe Calderon has declared war on the illegal narcotic organisation in Mexico, deploying 40,000 troops to fight the cartels.
Thousands have been killed in drug-related violence in the last few years.
Drug gangs have been involved previously in prison escapes and rioting.
In May, an armed gang believed to be linked to the Gulf cartel broke into a jail in the state of Zacatecas and freed more than 50 inmates.Smoke was seen rising from the prison in the town of Gomez Palacio, and gunshots were... more
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Ten Mexican police officers have been detained in connection with the torture and murder of 12 federal agents during a major escalation in the drug war.
The arrests come as more than 5,000 troops and federal police are deployed in the western state of Michoacan.
The troop surge, one of the biggest in the anti-drugs campaign, comes after a local drug gang launched co-ordinated attacks in 10 cities last week.
The state governor has protested against the "military occupation".
The federal authorities say they are investigating links between the municipal police and drug traffickers in the murder of the agents, whose bodies were found bound and gagged and shot through the head next to a major highway.
In a statement, prosecutors said the detentions would enable them to strengthen evidence that the officers "undertook criminal acts" in support of the Michoacan drugs gang and to "determine their responsibility for the murder of federal agents".
Earlier this year 10 mayors in the state were arrested by the federal authorities on suspicion they were working with the drug gangs.
Cocaine transit
Troops with automatic weapons and ski masks to shield their identity have set up roadblocks across Michoacan, President Felipe Calderon's home state, in a major show of force.
Nineteen police were arrested in one small town, 10 of whom are still being held in custody while alleged links with drug gangs are investigated.
The federal government believes that local police and officials have long been in the pay of the drug gangs.
The Michoacan gang, known as the "Family", announced itself as a terrifying new force three years ago when its hitmen tossed the severed heads of five victims onto a dancefloor in a city nightclub.
Despite the roadblocks, analysts say federal agents remain highly vulnerable in a region where drug gangs can easily get intelligence about their movements.Ten Mexican police officers have been detained in connection with the torture and... more
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MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- Coordinated attacks in at least eight Mexican cities killed three federal police officers and two soldiers Saturday in what officials are calling an unprecedented onslaught by drug gangs.
Another 18 federal officers were wounded, the state-run Notimex news agency reported, citing federal police official Rodolfo Cruz Lopez.
The attacks were in retribution for the capture early Saturday of Arnoldo Rueda Medina, a high-ranking member of the drug cartel known as La Familia Michoacana (The Michoacan Family), Notimex reported.
Rueda is considered second in command to the group's two top leaders, Nazario "El Chayo" Moreno González and José " El Chango" de Jesús Méndez Vargas, acting as a "right arm" to Moreno, the secretary of public security said Saturday in a statement.
Among other allegations, he was arrested for his role in designing the hierarchy of the organization, the production of synthetic drugs and movement of marijuana and cocaine to the United States, said Mexico's secretary of public security. Rueda was arrested along with a 17-year-old male who worked for him.
Following his arrest Saturday morning in Morelia, Michoacan, men armed with high-powered rifles and grenades attacked the police station where he was being held, the Secretary of Public Security said.
After failing to win his freedom, members of the group launched attacks in the cities of Morelia, Zitacuaro, Zamora, Lazaro Cardenas, Apatzingan, La Piedad and Huetamo in Michoacan state, Notimex news said, citing federal police.
The three officers were killed in Zitacuaro, police official Eduardo Moran told CNN en Español, while six police officers were reported wounded in Morelia.
Two soldiers were killed in Zamora, shot by men in a passing car as they walked to their headquarters. The Secretary of Public Security told the newspaper Cambio de Michoacan that 25 spent shells from an R-15 rifle and 17 from an AK-47 were found at the scene.
Michoacan is in west-central Mexico, on the Pacific coast.MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- Coordinated attacks in at least eight Mexican cities... more
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The Mexican army has carried out forced disappearances, acts of torture and illegal raids in pursuit of drug traffickers, according to documents and interviews with victims, their families, political leaders and human rights monitors.
From the violent border cities where drugs are brought into the United States to the remote highland regions where poppies and marijuana are harvested, residents and human rights groups describe an increasingly brutal war in which the government, led by the army, is using harsh measures to battle the cartels that continue to terrorize much of the country.
In Puerto Las Ollas, a mountain village of 50 people in the southern state of Guerrero, residents recounted how soldiers seeking information last month stuck needles under the fingernails of a disabled 37-year-old farmer, jabbed a knife into the back of his 13-year-old nephew, fired on a pastor, and stole food, milk, clothing and medication.
In Tijuana, across the border from San Diego, two dozen policemen who were arrested on drug charges in March alleged that, to extract confessions, soldiers beat them, held plastic bags over their heads until some lost consciousness, strapped their feet to a ceiling while dunking their heads in water and applied electric shocks, according to court documents, letters and interviews with their relatives and defense lawyers.
The officers were detained at a military base for more than a month.
Mexican officials acknowledged that abuses have occurred in the fight against traffickers but described the cases as isolated. In some instances, drug traffickers may be accusing the army of torture and other human rights violations as propaganda and to deflect attention from the government's efforts to dismantle their operations, the officials said.The Mexican army has carried out forced disappearances, acts of torture and illegal... more
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While news out of Mexico is being totally dominated by the Swine Flu scare—anything is better than the constant Drug War news, right?—I'm gonna go about a month back in time to tell you about the some of the high profile arrests that have been taking place.
Today I'll tell you about the capture of Hector Huerta Rios, a.k.a. "La Burra" or "El Junior." He is (now was) one of the 37 most wanted narcos in Mexico.While news out of Mexico is being totally dominated by the Swine Flu scare—anything... more
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With immigration such a hot topic and an escalation of border violence, I spent the day with the minute men to see the current status of our southern border.With immigration such a hot topic and an escalation of border violence, I spent the... more
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“On the day of its first foreign policy discussions with Mexico, the Obama administration remains mum on whether it will honor a campaign promise to alter a Bush administration policy establishing a massive fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, including in federally protected areas.”
So far, the Department of Homeland Security has erected about 613 miles of new pedestrian fencing and vehicle barriers to thwart illegal border crossers and drug smugglers trying to enter the United States.
While President Obama voted for the 2005 Secure Fence Act as an Illinois senator, he pledged on the campaign trail last year to review the Bush administration's fortification efforts, in part due to concerns about environmental impacts.
"I think that the key is to consult with local communities, whether it's on the commercial interests or the environmental stakes of creating any kind of barrier," Obama said last year at a debate in Austin, Texas.
While acknowledging that some areas may need fencing, Obama said deploying new surveillance technology and stepping up patrols would "be the better approach."
Yet almost three months into the new administration, neither Obama nor Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano are addressing the issue. Meanwhile, construction is beginning on two new sections of the fence, one through the Rio Grande Valley near Brownsville, Texas, and another in the Otay Mountain Wilderness in California's San Diego County.“On the day of its first foreign policy discussions with Mexico, the Obama... more
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Followers of Mexico's "Saint Death" cult figure, revered by thieves and drug runners but also law-abiding housewives, say their faith is being persecuted by the government's war against drug cartels.
Known as "Santa Muerte" in Spanish, the saint is often depicted as a skeletal "grim reaper" draped in white satin robes, beaded necklaces and carrying a scythe. Followers leave offerings of tequila, rum, beer, cigarettes, cash, flowers and candy at altars adorned with rosaries and candles.
Mexican authorities destroyed more than 30 such shrines erected near the city of Nuevo Laredo last month on the grounds they were built without the proper licenses. Some shrines were also knocked down in Tijuana, triggering protests there.Followers of Mexico's "Saint Death" cult figure, revered by thieves and drug runners... more
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Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano named a “border czar” Wednesday, choosing a former Justice Department official to tackle drug-related violence and illegal immigration problems plaguing the U.S. border with Mexico.
Napolitano picked Alan Bersin, a former U.S. attorney who also once served as California's education secretary. She announced the choice while standing on a bridge over the Rio Grande linking El Paso with Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, a city plagued by drug violence.
"Alan brings years of vital experience with local, state and international partners to help us meet the challenges we face at our borders," Napolitano said. "He will lead the
effort to make our borders safe while working to promote commerce and trade."
The announcement took place a day before President Barack Obama is leaving for Mexico, where issues of drug violence south of the U.S. border are expected to be at the top of the agenda.
Bersin also served as superintendent of schools in San Diego, but his most relevant experience for the border post was time spent as U.S. attorney in San Diego and as Attorney General Janet Reno’s border czar. Bersin was also a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University along with President Bill Clinton
Bersin was criticized by some immigrant groups for his role in Operation Gatekeeper, a federal government operation to crack down on illegal immigration along the westernmost portion of the U.S.-Mexico border. The program was a success at reducing uncontrolled immigration through that area, but immigrants and human smugglers shifted to the east. Some blame the program for increases in immigrant deaths in the desert and on highways.
Asked about the controversy over Bersin’s role, a DHS official said Napolitano “is aware of his background and is looking forward to his counsel.”
While Mexico has called for the U.S. to reduce north-to-south weapons smuggling by re-imposing a ban on assault weapons, the White House used unusually frank language Tuesday to signal that Obama has no plans to pursue such an option in the near future.
“I think a greater enforcement of the laws that are on our books are likely to have an impact in the security situation” in Mexico, press secretary Robert Gibbs said. “There’s a lot on our plate. ... I think that there are other priorities that the president has.”Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano named a “border czar” Wednesday,... more
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A single dose of heroin now runs between $5-$10, which makes it more easily accessible to everyone--- including teenagers.
“Unfortunately, today, a bag of heroin can be cheaper than a 6 pack of beer,” said John Gilbride, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency’s New York Field Division.
Heroin is now more potent than ever, up to 70% pure, compared to 10% just a few years ago.
(Full article at link)A single dose of heroin now runs between $5-$10, which makes it more easily accessible... more
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islek
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8 months ago
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US border guards in San Diego display guns seized on the Mexican border, 1 April
Mexico says the lifting of a US assault rifle ban in 2004 fuelled the gun trade
Mexico's ambassador to the US has urged America to stop the flow of guns and cash that pass into his country, fuelling the country's drug wars.
Arturo Sarukhan said US money and weapons provided the drug cartels with the means to "corrupt, bribe and kill".
President Barack Obama is due to visit Mexico later this week.
More than 6,000 people died last year in Mexico in drug-related violence and Mexico believes 90% of the weapons used by drug cartels come from the US.
US gun lobby groups dispute the figure.
Assault weapon call
In an interview with CBS's Face The Nation programme, Mr Sarukhan said the lifting of a US ban on military-style assault weapons in 2004 had been a crucial factor.
"There is a direct correlation between the expiration of the assault weapons ban and our seizures of assault weapons," he said.
"We cannot determine how Congress and the administration will move on this.
"What we will say is that... reinstating the ban... could have a profound impact on the number and the calibre of the weapons going down to Mexico."
But any move to reinstate that ban would be fiercely fought by gun lobby groups in the United States.
One in four Americans legally own some type of gun and gun ownership is deeply rooted in American culture.US border guards in San Diego display guns seized on the Mexican border, 1 April... more
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It's here! It's here! Breaking Bad is finally here on Hulu!
great show! definitely deserved the 2 Emmy's it won.
What happens when a 50-year-old chemistry teacher finds out he has terminal lung cancer? If you guessed "Starts making crystal meth with an old student," you win.It's here! It's here! Breaking Bad is finally here on Hulu!
great show! definitely... more
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Washington, D.C. (FNN)—In a move some are describing as a “news dump” timed to coincide with the attention being paid to President Obama’s foreign trip, the Justice Department announced the Administration’s plans to introduce legislation to legalize and regulate the manufacture, sales, possession, and use of what are today legally known as Schedule I drugs.
Additionally, Schedule II through Schedule V drugs will be made available to adult members of the public at their request, with a doctor’s prescription no longer being required before such drugs can be dispensed.
The drugs being “legalized” through this legislation would include marijuana, LSD, heroin, cocaine, and ecstasy; also included will be all pharmaceutical drugs currently under restricted distribution: among those are Xanax, OxyContin, and Viagra.
...for the entire story, visit the site...Washington, D.C. (FNN)—In a move some are describing as a “news dump” timed to... more
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The AIG Bonus Scandal having been disposed of for the moment, Congress is all a-flitter, all of a sudden, about the new “Greatest Threat To The American Way Of Life In All Of World History Of The Week”...and this week the threat is The Mexican Drug War.
The Mexican Drug Cartels, Senator Joe Lieberman told us in a March 25th hearing, are the number one organized crime threat we face in America today.
The violence, we are told, is beginning to affect America’s National Security...and unless I’m mistaken, Congress is looking to spin up for some sort of action that might range from sending thousands of troops to the US Southwest—and beyond—to going after users in the US “by any means necessary” to perhaps even getting all “Jack Bauer” on some Mexicans who would, presumably, have some useful information.
Although no one’s discussed it yet, we will probably hear someone even propose sending cartel leaders to Guantanamo (Michelle Bachman...I’m thinking of you...).
However, there is another way to disarm these dangerous cartels...and history tells us it works.
In this story we examine how ending Prohibition ended the power of Gangster Liquor Cartels, and how the same kind of thinking might also resolve the Mexican Drug Cartel problem.The AIG Bonus Scandal having been disposed of for the moment, Congress is all... more
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According to sources in the Mexican government, President Calderon is begging American officials to, in the words of reggae great Peter Tosh, legalize it. "Oh yeah," said an official close to the Mexican president, "Felipe is going crazy. He's screaming at everybody who comes in, 'Why don't they make this sh*t legal already! You're killing me here!' Look, everyone knows, when you have Prohibition, you create gangsters. And the more you prohibit, the more gangsters you make. El Chapo is hero now to all those slumdogs who want to be millionaires. Kids in the street, when they play games, they all want to be El Chapo, the baddest man in the whole damn town."According to sources in the Mexican government, President Calderon is begging American... more
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Friday, March 27, 2009
this is the funniest thing ever to me. i don't even know how the juggalo and juggalette crowd can take themselves into account as being actual people.
i was watching the discovery channel show cocaine nation and heroine nation and they kept referring to immigrants from Mexico as illegal aliens. my mom was really mad.
my feet are dirty and every time i drink soda i clench my teeth.
i got my midterm paper back today and my teacher called it wonderfully written and eloquent and it made me feel really good about myself.
Posted by doty. at 1:51 AMFriday, March 27, 2009
this is the funniest thing ever to me. i don't even know how... more
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3/26/2009 Obama ignores the People and liberty by ignoring the negative externalities of prohibition.
Check out my great playlists!
This website is filled with some great information that everybody needs to see before giving their grandchildren's liberties to the Federal government:
http://www.youtube.com/user/shanklinmike3/26/2009 Obama ignores the People and liberty by ignoring the negative externalities... more
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