Gruesome Cartel Tactics

Ciudad Juarez -- Drug cartels have used good media tactics, such as Youtube, to post kidnappings of police officers, officials, and regular citizens by releasing video clips of the captives admitting to crimes, including government corruption. It is often impossible to verify the accuracy of the admissions made under extreme pressure. The release of clips also adds to drug gang pressure on public officials in Mexico, following a string of slayings of mayors, senior police officers and a gubernatorial candidate. The Juarez and Sinaloa cartels have each claimed- through videos, graffiti and messages left on bodies- that the other receives government protection. Drug cartels have committed gruesome tactics not seen in Tijuana for months, beheading rivals and hanging bodies from bridges.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/25/AR2010102500851.html

Mexican Drug Cartels: Corruption at the Border

Online discussion -- Thomas M. Frost, assistant inspector general for investigations at the Department of Homeland Security's Office of the Inspector General, was online discussing Ceci Connolly Post article about drug cartels employing Cold War-era spy tactics to recruit and corrupt U.S. officials. She is a national staff writer for the Washington Post, and posted up a blog article for discussion about the recent corrupted CBP former member, Martha Garnica. She lived a double life. At the border crossing, she was Agent Garnica, a veteran law enforcement officer. In the shadows, she was "La Estrella," the star, a brassy looker who helped drug cartels make a mockery of the U.S. border.


Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2010/09/10/DI2010091006300.html

28 Gulf Cartel Members Found Guilty

The Monitor -- 28 Gulf Cartel members were arrested in Matamoros and announced guilty by Mexican authorities. These members were found guilty of engaging in organized criminal activity, crimes against public health, possession of restricted weapons and possession of military ammunition and explosives. The group was arrested by Mexican Marines and seized 55 assault rifles, 11 handguns, two rocket launchers, 21 grenades, 340 ammunition magazines, a large number of ammunition rounds, two trucks, $394,000 in U.S. currency and 560,000 pesos. It is highly possible that arms trafficking within the U.S. and Mexico is a criminal tactic that cartel groups are making in attempt to gain power and wealth. One of the 28 cartel members is Juan Francisco Martinez Manzanares, known to have led all members into criminal activity.

Source: http://www.themonitor.com/articles/cartel-43571-members-guilty.html

Mexico Suspends Search for Hartley

Zapata -- Mexico's search for McAllen man David Michael Hartley was temporarily suspended, with no further questions or comments made. STRATFOR, a private intelligence service based in Austin, stated that its sources indicated that low-level members of the Zeta drug cartel were responsible for the attack and that the group destroyed the body that same day. Due to both U.S. and Mexican government ties in partnership to locate the body, a halt was done due to a severed head of a Tamaulipas state police commander investigating the case was delivered in a suitcase to a military post in Miguel Aleman. STRATFOR analyst predicts that there will be more killings and beheadings of Mexican authorities if that search continues. Citing unnamed sources, STRATFOR reported that low-level Zetas identified the Hartleys as a potential Gulf Cartel surveillance team and rashly chose to retaliate by shooting at the couple.

Source: http://www.themonitor.com/articles/hartley-43582-think-indicate.html

American Death linked to Cartel Group

CNN -- Unwanted attention to a cartel known as Los Zetas is caused by suspected shooting death of an American by gunmen. Officials state that "It's more likely than not that more senior people in the organization are unhappy about what happened here because this brings pressure from the U.S. and Mexican authorities". David Hartley was killed on September 30 while enjoying a sightseeing trip on Falcon Lake. Drug cartel groups try to limit and minimize attacks on Americans because they know this would bring pressure on their organizations. It is highly believed that suspected Zeta killers may be already dead by their own senior organization members.

Source: http://articles.cnn.com/2010-10-15/justice/texas.hartley.zetas_1_drug-cartels-mexican-investigator-mexican-drug?_s=PM:CRIME

Smugglers of Drugs Burrow on Border

Nogales , Ariz. – Border Patrol agents utilized many different techniques and ways to stop illegal immigrants or drug smugglers into the U.S. Some ways that Border Patrol agents prevent these illegal acts, are through drone aircraft patrol, fast boats, trucks, horses, all-terrain vehicles, and bicycles. Unfortunately, smugglers have found other ways to smuggle human or drugs into the U.S. by using tunnels. Tunneling has gained popularity in many areas, Nogales leading in cases. These tunnels are mainly used to smuggle in drugs, such as marijuana. Agents have discovered many tunnels due to the geography of the region where higher elevation and water flow through generations of old underground channels. Tunnels are discovered in many ways, such as sinking pavement, manholes popping up with furtive eyes peering out, and also discovered in border-front property.

Source: : http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/us/03tunnels.html?_r=2&sq=human

$3.1 Million in Tour Bus; 14 Arrested

Hidalgo – On Sunday, October 3, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized $3.1 million from luggage on a tour bus destined for Mexico. 14 people, 7 U.S. citizens and 7 Mexican nationals are currently facing federal charges at U.S. District Court in McAllen. The case was found hidden in deflated air mattresses packed inside 17 pieces of luggage aboard the bus. “the $3.1 million seized by federal agents far exceeds the $10,000 limit for cash declarations upon entering or exciting the United States. If convicted, each person can face up to five years in prison and fines up to $250,000”.

Source: http://www.themonitor.com/articles/hidalgo-43196-mexico-million.html

Police: Father, son escape kidnapping unharmed

Mission – On Tuesday afternoon, a father and son were held at gunpoint by several men before taking off with their pickup truck, state mission police chief. Both father and son were close in becoming human trafficking victims by Mexican cartel members. A man got inside their black 2010 Ford F-150 pickup truck, ordered them to drive until being forced into another vehicle. Both were not harmed by these men, but were in for a scare. Police chief, Martin Garza stated that “trucks like the man’s F-150 are typically targeted by thieves along the U.S.- Mexico border to be used in drug of human smuggling operations”.

Source: http://www.themonitor.com/news/mission-43180-unharmed-father.html