April 22, 2007: Between 600 and 650 people have
been killed in drug related violence this year in Mexico. Last year, the death
toll was 2,000.
April 22, 2007: The drug gangs apparently are
gender-friendly, because since January 2007, at least 20 woman drug smugglers
have died in gang warfare. Many of the woman may have been originally recruited
by corrupt policewomen and used to move
drugs. In Durango state, ten men in two SUVs kidnapped the state police
commander. Police intervened, leaving two policemen dead, the kidnap victim
murdered and the kidnappers being pursued north, towards the U.S. border.
April 19, 2007: Police engaged drug smugglers in a
shootout in the city of Tijuana, leaving
two policemen and one smuggler
dead. The gunfight began in the street. Police moved the wounded gang member to
a hospital. The drug gang later attacked the hospital in an attempt to free
their man. Five of the gangsters who stormed the hospital were later arrested
by the police. The men arrested were identified as being members of the
"Tijuana drug cartel" (also known as the Arellano Felix drug cartel). Some
Mexican Army troops reportedly assisted the police.
April 18, 2007: Federal police (Federales) arrested five members of the Gulf drug cartel
in the town of Reynosa. The five gang members were involved in both drug
smuggling and money-laundering operations.
April 16, 2007: Police found the bodies of 20
people murdered in drug gang warfare. Many of the bodies were killed "execution
style" and wrapped in plastic bags. Five bodies were found near Cancun. Eight
were discovered in the state of Guerrero.
April; 13, 2007: Some 24,000 members of the Mexican
military are currently involved in Mexico's war on drug gangs. A recent poll in
Mexico found that the Mexican military was the second most "respected
institution" in the country. The most respected is "the family."
