Mexican Zetas extending violence into U.S.

[Ironbarr]

(If this doesn't fit in Legal/Political please move it. I believe the subject, though, may tend to generate both legal and political comments.)

Mexican Zetas extending violence into U.S., officials say

BY ALFREDO CORCHADO

The Dallas Morning News


MEXICO CITY - (KRT) - A team of rogue Mexican commandos blamed for dozens of killings along the U.S.-Mexico border has carried out at least three drug-related slayings in Dallas, a sign that the group is extending its deadly operations into U.S. cities, two American law enforcement officials say.

The men are known as the Zetas, former members of the Mexican army who defected to Mexico's so-called Gulf drug cartel in the late 1990s, other officials say.

"These guys run like a military," said Arturo A. Fontes, an FBI special investigator for border violence based in Laredo, in South Texas. "They have their hands in everything and they have eyes and ears everywhere. I've seen how they work, and they're good at what they do. They're an impressive bunch of ruthless criminals."

Dallas and federal officials said that since late 2003 eight to 10 members of the Zetas have been operating in North Texas, maintaining a "shadowy existence" and sometimes hiring Texas criminal gangs, including the Mexican Mafia and Texas Syndicate, for contract killings. The Texas Syndicate is a prison gang that authorities blame for several murders statewide.

The Zetas' activities in North Texas were described in interviews with two U.S. federal law enforcement agents, two former Drug Enforcement Administration officials, a former Dallas undercover narcotics officer and two undercover informants.

"We're aware of the Zetas' threat to U.S. cities, and we consider it a growing threat," said Johnny Santana, a criminal investigator for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Office of the Inspector General. "We're conducting investigations into several cases statewide to establish evidence. We still don't have those links yet, but the telltale signs are there, and they point to the Zetas."

The Zetas' presence in Dallas represents a sharp departure from standard practice for Mexican cartels, which traditionally have kept a low profile on U.S. soil and have sought to avoid confrontations with U.S. law enforcement.

The Zetas, who are accused off carrying out killings and acting as drug couriers for the cartel, are regarded by U.S. law enforcement officials as expert assassins who are especially worrisome because of their elite military training and penchant for using AR-15 and AK-47 assault rifles.

"The Zetas are bold, ruthless and won't think twice about pulling the trigger on a cop or anyone else who gets in their way," said the former Dallas narcotics officer, who asked not to be identified.

"And they like to take care of business themselves or, when forced to, hire their own assassin."

Rest of the story: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/world/10944473.htm

.
-AndyB

 

[PinnedAndRecessed]

They're just doing the jobs that Americans won't do.

 

[wingman]

They're just doing the jobs that Americans won't do.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Viva diversity!

 

[Pilgrim]

I wonder how much the 'Zetas' fit into the mold of the bogey man?

"The Zetas are bold, ruthless and won't think twice about pulling the trigger on a cop or anyone else who gets in their way," said the former Dallas narcotics officer, who asked not to be identified.

I am beginning to suspect a good "sea story" here.

Pilgrim

 

[Ivy Mike]

Mosin-Nagant rifles are cheap
7.62x54R is cheap

Training from off-duty/retired LEO or Military personnel could be free/cheap if they agree with your cause.

Sounds like the formation of a militia who is guarding against foreign invasion. Set patrols out and when you encounter incurrsions, chamber a round and shout ALTO!!!!! SIENTESE AHORA!!!!!

If fired on, you may certainly return fire and with a large enough group, you stand a good chance. Now, the expensive part would be the lawyers to defend you against "immigrant-rights" attorneys working for the Mexican gov.

A 10 man fire team could stop a decent band of drug runners.

 

[Preacherman]

A couple of these folks are already long-term guests of Uncle Sam in the Grey Bar And Brick Hotel. They're pretty scary folks... and I wouldn't take this news report lightly!

 

[kikilee]

We will give them a driver's license, Food stamps, and Government housing..................

 

[longeyes]

"Family values don't stop at the border..." Ooops, wrong speech.

 

[HungSquirrel]

Foreign narcomilitants are invading the US, advancing deep within our territory, killing people with impunity, and fading into the night. More proof that the War on Drugs is a resounding success!

 

[whm1974]

Foreign narcomilitants are invading the US, advancing deep within our territory, killing people with impunity, and fading into the night. More proof that the War on Drugs is a resounding success!

There are also reports that the Zetas are getting support from the Mexican govenment. Maybe we need to invade Mexico.

-Bill

 

[HungSquirrel]

The problem with that is you have to figure out which parts of the Mexican government are run by decent individuals and which parts are corrupt. It's not like the government itself has an official policy to support them. It's the individuals in offices of power that look the other way when the right amount of money finds its way into their hands.

 

[DRZinn]

They're just doing the jobs that Americans won't do.

What job would that be? Killing rival drug dealers so that their associates can take over the same market and sell the same stuff to the same people? (Not gonna get into the legalization bit.)

 

[LiquidTension]

DocZinn, you obviously missed the sarcasm in the post you quoted. That reasoning is always cited by people that favor open borders.

 

[HungSquirrel]

The same people who favor open borders are the people who favor decriminalizing the sale and use of narcotics. If the sale and use of narcotics were legal in the US, you wouldn't see this kind of thing. Legitimate businessment usually don't have a reason to run around capping each other.

 

[El Tejon]

Preacherman, do you have names and cause numbers for these Zetas? If we have caught these bogeymen, then should be public record.

Zetas? Odd name for a bogey man used to instill fear in Anglos. I have images of of Anglos with blonde hair drinking beer and wearing sweaters while wearing boat shoes.

I got P&R's sarcasm. Excellent.

 

[ahenry]

Tejon,

It's usually not smart to talk disparagingly of something you don’t know anything about. It only makes you look like a fool in the eyes of those that do…

 

[Sindawe]

They're just doing the jobs that Americans won't do.

What, our native crimminal class (not Congress, the other one) won't do this kind of work anymore. Sad, what happened to the American Work Ethic? :shaking head:

 

[Selfdfenz]

El Tejon,

Today is the first time I ever heard of this outfit.
Don't know if Preacherman can pop in with some case/cause numbers for you but if you will Google up "Mexican Zetas in US Prison" you will find all sorts of different information about the Zetas from a numerically impressive list of different sources. Is the issue bogus without a cause number?

I'm not expert but this bunch sounds scary +/- the cause numbers.

Best,
S-

 

[wingman]

It's usually not smart to talk disparagingly of something you don’t know anything about. It only makes you look like a fool in the eyes of those that do…

10.4 on that.

 

[El Tejon]

ahenry, and just how am I talking "disparagingly" of anything? If the Zetas exist outside of a university campus, there will be plenty of criminal litigation in their wake. If you have such information, I would appreciate you providing the links to the Zeta cases. Thanks much.

Selfdef, yes, of course cause numbers make it real. If this threat is real and not a bear thread of journalistic creation used to raise police budgets, then we should have state or federal prosecutions. State or Federal prosecutions are public record and will be easily found.

Hmmm, it seems "Zeta" is also the name of a newspaper in Tijuana which makes it bones reporting on drug trafficking! And now we have a gang of purported Zetas involved in drug smuggling. I am certain that's a conwinkydink.

 

[El Tejon]

In reading the U.S. newspapers the whole Zeta thing reeks of Boston bomb threat bear thread hysteria. A fairy tale created to scare the bejeezus out of White America by a snitch with his head in a vice.

However . . . . . . when I read the Mexican newspapers (with a dictionary, I'm still asi asi), who would not seemingly have the motive to lie and create hysteria like the U.S. papers, I'm not so sure. I sure would want to see something tangible.

 

[Ironbarr]

More... from a Mexican Writer

http://www.polishnews.com/text/news_and_correspondence/War_is_getting_more_violent.html

The War Is Getting More Violent
By Richard N. Baldwin T.


No, this is not about the Mideast war. I am talking about another bigger war in the Northern Hemisphere. One with direct deaths in the US of over 10,000 per year and 20,000 "collateral" deaths. Responsible for over 16% of the total inmates in US prisons with the annual "cost to society" of about $100 billion dollars. I am talking about the drug war.

Evidently the US feels that it can live with this as the voracious drug market in the US continues. And after all of the hoo-ha in recent years, the street cost of drugs is stable which indicates that the drug supply has not been interrupted.

There are three factors in any business . . . supply, transit and market. The US is the market which is driven by a $65 billion a year direct expenditure. The supply is coming from mainly Columbia and some other South American countries. Columbia has been fighting an almost continuous war in that country for years and is heavily subsidized by the US. But, alas, the production just keeps rolling along. Too much market power to overcome.

México is the main transit element in this triad. Let's look at recent news to see what this business is doing to México. Remember that México, at this stage, is a frail democracy with weak institutions that are vulnerable to corruption with the vast amounts of money available. We are talking about a LOT of money.

Las Palmas prison, located in central México, has had two high profile assassinations over the last few weeks. Complete with smuggled-in high-class arms.

The federal government discovered that the major drug cartels were continuing to conduct their business from inside the prison. The matter was so out of hand that the Mexican Army took over the prison. The army found cell phones, computer equipment and weapons that were removed. They shipped leaders to other prisons to split up cartels. Other army prison takeovers are probable.

In December, six prison employees were executed outside the federal prison in Matamoros. A highly organized team that was probably "Zetas" did the job. This was a special Mexican army force, highly trained to fight the drug business. One of the cartels simply paid them enough money to change sides. This feared group has been responsible for many killings and act as "enforcers" for the cartel.

In the Matamoros area, 20 people were kidnapped by Zetas and three were executed in January.

Last year, another mass killing went on in the Vera Cruz area . . . again, drug related. And the former governor of Quintana Roo is now in jail as being part of the drug business.

What is happening here is a stepped up competitive "turf" war between the Mexican drug cartels. A lot of people being killed and these cartels are literally taking over entire sectors of our government. For months now, bodies have turned up in the trunks of cars, abandoned lots and homes along the border. At last reports the war is crossing the northern border.

Our prison system is almost being run by the cartels now. Obviously, there is major infiltration in the legal system. (Remember our first Drug "Czar", a highly respected army general, now in prison, who was found to be on the take? The episode was enshrined in the movie Traffic.)

Look at our prison/legal system to see how vulnerable México is. Probably one half of the inmates in prison have not even been sentenced yet! They are still awaiting trial, usually for years. The system has a population of 150,000 prisoners, and is 30% over capacity. To understand this situation, remember that under Mexican Mickey Mouse law, you are presumed guilty. Therefore, if arrested, you are considered guilty and go to jail. And the overloaded, under funded and inept judicial system takes years to bring a case to trial. A lot of these people waiting for trial are in for minor offenses.

México allows family visits to the prisons. This is necessary because a prisoner is likely not to survive imprisonment without outside support . . . for things like food, clothing and money to bribe guards for humane treatment. Even for necessary medicine. Of course, if you have enough money, things are not so bad. In one northern prison recently, it was found that moneyed inmates had gone so far as to build little homes in the central yard so that they could live with their families. The little village was torn down after publicity.

The daily throng of visitors to the prisons carrying loads of food and necessities for inmates make a huge security problem. I recently learned from a Mexican that had had experience in both Mexican and US jails that "In the US, jail is paradise! Not only do they feed you, but if you get sick, they even give you treatment!"

México is loosing control of their country in this war. With the amount of money generated by the US market, we are fighting a war that we cannot win. But the key for shutting down this system is in closing down the market, which the US does not seem to be able or care to do.

Richard N. Baldwin T., a HispanicVista.com contributing columnist, lives in Tlalnepantla, Edo de México. E-mail at: [email protected]

 

[DRZinn]

DocZinn, you obviously missed the sarcasm in the post you quoted.

So I did. Sorry. I read it as saying that the "job Americans won't do" was killing drug dealers.

 

[Art Eatman]

El Tejon, some of these Zetas have had military training somewhat equivalent to our own Green Beret types--at least the combat stuff, if not the medical/language/etc.

In the Good Old Days, you could be somewhere touristy in Nuevo Laredo, and if some drug guy was after some other guy, it was pistols. You could duck and easily survive. Now, it has been RPG or grenades--the wonderful world of "To whom it may concern, and anybody closeby."

Terence Pappa wrote a biography, "Drug Lord", about Pablo Acosta. Pablo ran the town of Ojinaga, some 70 miles upriver from me. Pablo's uncle was my next-door neighbor. Pablo was at one time responsible for an estimated one-third of the cocaine entering the U.S. His uncle merely did burro-train loads of Sweetgrass. The Mexican law folks helicoptered in and killed Pablo in 1987. Since then, the "Plaza" of Ojinaga has been run by a lieutenant of the main drug lord of Juarez. (But he's a nice guy. He's putting money into "cleanup, paintup, fixup" around town. Heck, they're even doing curbs and repaving streets! And his motel/restaurant is a great and popular place. Good food, excellent service, low prices.)

To say that Mexico has been corrupted by drug money is rather backwards: The "mordida" system down there has long had officials of various sorts holding their hands out for a little bite as a way to augment pitiful salaries. How else would the police chief of Mexico City who got a $25,000/yr salary afford a multi-million dollar mansion? Basically, the drug lords are cash cows for many in the government and army, who are in the business of selling protection.

And now it's getting wilder.

Art