Understanding the Situation

The drug cartels use helicopters, rocket-propelled grenades, automatic weapons, .50 caliber machine guns, semi-automatic weapons, grenades, full body armor, and often uniform themselves and their vehicles as federal and state troops. They have sophisticated wire tapping equipment and human surveillance teams that track police, government officials, rival gangs, and journalists. They watch the points of entry into cities at border check-points, bus terminals, and airports. Police, journalists and politicians are often given a simple choice of death (or death to family members) or accepting a bribe and doing what you are told.

Members of the Mexican media, government officials and law enforcement have been routinely tortured and murdered. Because of the virtual news blackout and false stories, the people cannot trust the news. Because of corrupted and terrorized officials, the people cannot trust government officials or the police. Many people seem willing to accept drug trafficking if the violence will stop.

The drug cartels profit from drugs, kidnappings, extortion, human smuggling, prostitution, and money laundering. These Mexican drug cartels have operations in many, if not most, large American cities. They also 'subcontract' to gangs in the United States, like M13. The cartels main sources of income are dependent on their web of subordinates, partners and cells throughout the United States. If it chose to do so, the United States could send a crushing blow to the Mexican cartels by destroying their operations in the United States.