[Jazzman1]

uh, oh. The big dealers must be holding back on the bribe money. Happens every few years , then its back to the shakedown for protection. Mexico is one dismal, corrupt and hopeless country.

[Brad from Tennessee]

[. . . in one violence-plagued state where soldiers clashed with traffickers trying to protect a marijuana field.]

This sounds like the town where I live. About twice a year law enforcement goes out on a sweep and arrests the same group of penny-ante crackheads.

Mexico produces opium and heroin from their domestic poppy crop as well as methamphedamine, all for illegal export to the U.S. They trans-ship cocaine into the U.S. as well as ephedera--in 55-gallon drums--a precursor of methamphedamine("crank.") In addition, Mexico legally imports tons of pharmaceutical narcotics (hydrocodone, morphine, etc.) in pill and tablet form which is sold illegally and smuggled into the U.S.