The Mexican Drug War

BY:

Michael Maurtua

Before the War

• Drug mobs have running some of Mexico’s poorest streets for years selling drugs to many Mexicans AND Americans.

• Drug mobs were kept safe because they bribed many of the police forces with money. Some police forces were even threatened and intimidated by the sheer number of weapons the mobs had.

This is money that a particular mob had earned!

The Beginning

• On December 11, 2006 newly elected President, Felipe Calderon sent in 6,500 troops to stop illegal drug trade, starting the Mexican drug war.

• Drugs mobs fought back starting the Mexican drug war

Operation: Tijuana

• Tijuana, a town south of San Diego near the border of the U.S. It is a town drug mobs have competed for because of the town’s close distance to the US/Mexican border.

• On January 2nd, 2007, Calderon sent over 3,296 military officers to sweep through Tijuana and to arrest those dealing with drugs.

Operation: Tijuana (The Hospital Shootout)

• During the operation, a band of criminals entered a Tijuana hospital. There, the criminals took hostages and tried to free a mob boos being treated there before his sentence. However the small amount of criminals lost to the federal police with some hostage deaths.

• Operation Tijuana upset the Mexican people because there were many citizens caught up in the crossfire.

The Rest of 2007• After Operation Tijuana , drug mobs resorted to a lot of

kidnappings and murdering of public officials.1. May 14: Jorge Altriste, commander of forces in Tijuana was murdered.2. December 2: Sergio Gomez, a popular singer was kidnapped.3. December 8 – Gerardo pimental. , a crime reporter, was killed.

• On May 16-18, police men had a battle with a unknown drug gang in Cananea, Mexico. Here 15 gang members, 5 police men and two civilians died. The bulk of the gang got away.

Operation Solare• Also known as project “reckoning” in the U.S.

• Started on September 17, 2008

• Operation Solare was a anti-drug campaign centered based on Mexican cartels in the U.S., Italy and Mexico. In these countries the cartel called “gulf” was the main instigator for the star of this campaign. There have been over 200 arrests of bosses alone in Italy and in the U.S. 16 tons of cocaine have been taken from the cartels.

• Operation Solare was the most important event for the drug war in 2008.

Other things in ‘08

• Police capture the cartel boss Jesus Zambada after one of Mexico City’s biggest shootouts yet.

• Colombian police sieze a shipment of cocaine worth $200m enroute to Mexico

• The Mexican army captures drug lord Eduardo Arellano Felix after a shootout in Tijuana

• 2008: 5,630 deaths due to due the drug war.

Jesus “the king” Zambada

Thus far, 2009

• Not much action has been taken by the Mexican military however, the Mexican Navy is getting more involved.

• February 15, 2009: The Mexican navy confiscated 7 tons of cocaine.

Main Illegal Drugs sold by Cartels

Marijuana- A drug sold by cartels and is the most illegally used in the U.S.

Cocaine- The main drug sold by cartels. Each time the Mexican Government catches a cartel they have more then a ton of cocaine from Columbia

Main Weapons Used by the Mobs

•90% of the weapons used by the cartels are bought from the U.S.

Semi-Auto AK Rifle from the U.S.

AR-15 Rifle from the

U.S.M16 from the Mexican military (stolen)

                                                       

.5 Caliber Rifle from U.S.

Frag Grenade from Mexico, U.S., Asia or Europe.

U.S. Involvement

• The U.S. began fighting off cartels over the border on May 31st 2008.

• The U.S. confiscated over 16 tons of cocaine in operation solare.

• On April 16, 2009, Obama makes a speech in Mexico announcing that the U.S. will try to stop all cartel from crossing the border.

An End?

Calderon stated that there are still many cartels left and that the war could go on for another 1-1.5 years.

The End

Presentation made by Mike Maurtua