Posted on 06/06/2007 12:14:25 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
ORO VALLEY, Ariz. - A power struggle between drug cartels in northern Mexico is "an outright war" and its bleed-over into Arizona is a major concern, law enforcement officials attending an annual Arizona-Sonora police conference say.
Three weeks ago, some 50 gunmen arrived in a convoy in Cananea in northern Sonora and killed seven people, including five police officers, before Army troops and police pursued them, killing 16 according to Mexican authorities.
The shootings have remained a prime topic of discussion among lawmen on both sides of the border, including at the 23rd conference of Policia International Sonora-Arizona meeting here this week.
The conference is designed to let officials on each side of the border get to know each other, talk about major issues and come up with strategies to address major common concerns while fostering cooperation.
The gunmen in the Cananea incident were identified as ``Zetas,'' former Mexican army elite soldiers, apparently allied with one group of drug operatives who had lost control of smuggling operations in northern Sonora to another group based in the state of Sinaloa.
Officials believe the slain police officers were targeted for betraying an agreement with a cartel.
``Obviously, the Cananea thing is big, but also it's what's going on with the drug cartels in Mexico and the effects in the U.S.,'' said David Gonzales, United States Marshal for Arizona.
``The overall power surge, killings of officials and citizens to establish their power base - it's an outright war,'' Gonzales said. ``And the cartels are going to go against the (Mexican) government'' and anyone in their way, he said. ``They will kill and spend any amount of money to establish'' their dominance.
Public security issues and killings in Sinaloa stem primarily from organized crime's drug trafficking and production, said Jesus Alfredo Lopez Reyna, an official with that Mexican state's attorney general's office.
``It's a constant battle, because the monster's so very powerful,'' he said.
With the situation in Cananea, he said, ``It's important that the state give the proper and effective response to these types of incidents.''
Lopez added, ``We will prevail against the delinquents.''
Lt. Gerardo Castillo, commander of the Santa Cruz County Metro Task Force based in Nogales and president of this year's police conference, said he believes Mexico is going through ``a turf battle more than anything. They're trying to capture a major corridor.''
``We are concerned as far as the bleed-over into the United States, as far as the criminal activity,'' said Deputy U.S. Marshal Luis Noriega, the Mexico investigative liaison.
``Criminals do not recognize the border; for them it's porous. So we have to be on alert that any time something does happen of a violent nature in Mexico, especially along the border ... that there'll be the overflow or the bleed-over here into the United States.''
Gonzales said that spillover has occurred. Drug cartels in Mexico are coordinating and working with Hispanic-American street gangs to smuggle guns and people, he said.
``It makes sense, because American street gangs know how the system works through the United States, they have their contacts, they have their routes that they use, they have their whole structure set up,'' Gonzales said.
Law enforcement officials on both sides of the border say they believe Mexico's government will prevail in the long run in its heightening battle with drug interests.
``The line has been drawn in the sand, and I think President Felipe Calderon and the Mexican officials understand that if they let up and show signs of weakness, it's only going to be worse,'' Noriega said. ``But in the meantime, there's going to be a lot of bloodshed and a lot of people are going to die on both sides of the border.''
Noriega said that in informal conversations with officials from Mexico at the conference, ``our impression is that they have already had some successful operations in Sonora.''
What border?
Gee, ya think?
"'Zetas,' former Mexican army elite soldiers, apparently allied with one group of drug operatives who had lost control of smuggling operations in northern Sonora to another group based in the state of Sinaloa."
If the government would secure the damn border as the American people want, the smugglers would be left with trying to sneak shipments past inspection at the legal checkpoints and using airplanes and boats. We could focus our resources more narrowly on these methods.
"'And the cartels are going to go against the (Mexican) government' and anyone in their way, he said. 'They will kill and spend any amount of money to establish' their dominance."
One has to wonder whether any of our own national politicians have been corrupted by the extremely wealthy Mexican drug cartels.
Hell, why worry? After Jorge and the crooks, clowns and cons in Washington get thru giving away this country, we won’t have to worry about such things.
Impeach Bush (and Hang Kennedy)
All this bloodshed and illegal drugs being pushed in this country yet they just don’t get it as they debate to encourage all of this.
Pictures being shown most of the day today show what appears to be young males running in and climbing fences to get in. This is serious and Mccain and company are the fools causing all this to escalate!
Why worry? They will know where to find them. Over here fiddling while Rome burned.
This situation sounds similar to what happened in the United States during Prohibition. No, wait, it’s gotta be different.
Border Ping!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
Drug wars will extend over the border into America because the border patrol has been de-balled. Going down hill fast now...thanks BUSH/KENNEDY/McCAIN...you three stooges should be so proud!
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