Posted on 02/07/2009 7:33:15 PM PST by BAW
TIJUANA — Following several high-profile busts, the Mexican Army is stepping up its battle against organized crime in this region.
The city's director of Public Safety, Julián Leyzaola, announced this week that the Army would begin joint operations with local police in the most violent neighborhoods.
That's a change, given that the military has largely steered clear of working directly local police. On Wednesday, Mexican soldiers rescued eight people who had been kidnapped and were being held at a ranch east of the city after a shootout that claimed the life of one of the suspected kidnappers.
Last month, the Army confiscated drugs and more than $1 million from a house in the La Mesa district and, in another operation, arrested three people suspected in the kidnapping of transportation entrepreneur Gregorio Barreto.
The army also captured Santiago Meza, who is accused of dissolving more than 300 victims in vats of acid and burying their remains, and two other men believed to be associates of Eduardo García Simental “El Teo,” leader of a particularly violent cell of the Arellano Félix drug cartel.
These arrests, however, has not quelled the wave of killings in the city nor the public outcry they have generated.
From Jan. 1 through Wednesday, the state Attorney General's Office recorded 75 homicides, whose victims included seven police officers and another seven people who had been decapitated.
In January alone there were 69 homicides, 39 more than in January 2008, the bloodiest year in the city's history, with 843 killings.
(Excerpt) Read more at 3.signonsandiego.com ...
LOL @ Mexican Army helping. Isn’t much of the Army brass and other officers on cartel’s pay roll too? This should end up well.
In the same time period Juarez had 207 murders.
Like hiring crack addicts to guard a DEA warehouse.
I was born and raised in El Paso. TJ has nothing on J-Town (Jaurez), but I wouldn’t want to go to either border city out of choice - or any for that matter. I really feel sorry for the average Mexican citizen and understand why they immigrate to this country. What I don’t understand is why WE (our “elected” government) keep allowing the Mexican Govt to act as if there is no problem, or responsibility on their part? Does it all come down to drug money?
Mexican Army? Against the cartels? Hahahaha...yeah right!
The same Mex Army that has been helping the cartels push drugs across the US border....
Let them ask US for temporary help. Since we are not allowed to take prisoners anymore, guess what? There won’t be any prisoners!
That will be an interesting change of pace for the mexican army.
And this might cut down on cross border drug trafficking if mex army personnel aren’t available for transport and security service to the cartels.
Too bad Mexico is in the state that is in now, but this is the reality. We will end up restoring Mexico after we put great big holes in it.
It's a failed state.
So do I. It's mind numbing given the poverty and complete lawlessness in their homeland. Calderon has lost control of his nation.
Drug runners / cartel members already here: Population control (small print part of the stimulus program)?
The Mexican Army is rife with corruption and narco-terrorist ties. They are part of the problem. And our government gladly trains them and sends them mucho dinero.
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