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About 300 protesters funded by drug gangs carried signs protesting Mexico army operations in the northern city of Monterrey, which is reported to be the wealthiest city in Mexico. Monterrey is the capital of the northern state of Nuevo Leon, which along with the state of Tamaulipas have the main trafficking routes into Texas for the powerful Gulf Cartel and the Zeta — an armed wing notorious for beheading their enemies. Up to 20 beheadings have apparently occurred in a period of single weeks near the U.S.-Mexico border.
Drug violence killed 6,000 people across Mexico last year. Mexico President Felipe Calderon has sent 45,000 troops and federal police in the northern area of Mexico to seize weapons, narcotics and kingpins. Corrupt local police officials are know to work for the cartels.
Due to actions of drug cartels, Mexico City and Phoenix, Arizona are the first and second top-ranking cities for the most kidnappings worldwide. Mexico’s drug war is spilling over into the United States with Arizona becoming another major gateway for drug trafficking between Mexico and the United States.
Related articles …
Mexicans protest army ops against drug gangs — Reuters
Phoenix, kidnap-for-ransom capital — LA Times
See also …
DEA
See also on Wikipedia …
Gulf Cartel
Monterrey
Nuevo León
Tamaulipas
Los Zetas