Kids being used / kidnapped in Mexico by Narco\'s

My buddy (a native Mexican) just went south to check on his ailing father...near Matamoros.

I sweated bullets till he go back!

He wanted to take his kids but he knew it was way to "hot" in the area. He didnt want to go but was required by duty.

He has returned today. Its not good at all down there. In the time he has been gone (1 week), 40 people are dead. At night he said it sounds like a war zone. The narco gangs literally run down residential streets pumping rounds after each other. Where once people would hang out in the evenings, BBQ, have a beer, and socialize...
no more.

They hide in there homes after hours. If they hear any thing like a shot, they hit the floor till its past. Too many stray bullets.

The one part of the story that reallly got me was how schools are staying closed due to intimidation. They are trying to extort money from teachers.

www.theeagle.com...

Kidnapping threats close Mexican schools


CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico -- Fourth-grader Ricardo Ivan Ortega knows he is a target in this violent city. His school closed temporarily last month after an anonymous note demanded that teachers hand over their year-end bonuses -- or students would be kidnapped.

Ricardo has a plan.

\"I will just hide,\" the shy 9-year-old said in late November, waiting in the family car while his mother inquired when Luis Urias Elementary would reopen. \"My mom told me not to get near the front gate, and if I need to, to run out of my classroom.\"

Across Ciudad Juarez, parents and students are stricken by reports of kidnapping and extortion threats that started with a sign that appeared Nov. 12 on the front door of another school, the Elena Garro kindergarten, demanding: \"Either give us your bonuses, or we will start to kidnap the children.\"

Police removed it before the children arrived.

Banking on fear

Some speculate that cartels now are targeting schools to supplement income during the Mexican government\'s crackdown on drug trafficking, much as they\'ve already extorted businesses. Others say common criminals are trying to cash in on the fear that pervades border cities, where terrified residents are seeing ever-more-brutal murders -- more than 1,300 so far this year in Ciudad Juarez.

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The other neat thing is that they are running into schools. Some of the kids are being lured with money and "promises" of greater things. some are just grabbed and conscripted to join the narco's.


www.vancouversun.com...

CHEAP LABOR\"


Narco juniors, or young drug gangsters, first appeared in the 1990s, when the Arellano Felix family recruited some of their sons and daughters and their affluent friends to run drugs and do their killing.


But a dramatic escalation of the drug war since 2005 has lured many more youngsters to work for gangs across Mexico.

\"These kids are cheap labor who cannot be imprisoned. More and more of them being used by the drug gangs,\" said Guillen.

Narcos Recruiting Texas Teens, DPS Says


www.texastribune.org...

Mexican drug cartels are luring young students into the narco-trade with promises of cars, cash and celebrity, say state police who want parents to intervene.

The warning comes as law enforcement officials report an increase in the number of teens from both Mexico and the United States becoming involved in human and drug trafficking. In 2008, minors accounted for nearly a fifth of the felony drug charges and gang-related arrests in border counties, according to DPS. In Juarez, just across the border from El Paso, more than 130 minors have been killed in drug-related violence in the past year, according to a Washington Post report earlier this month.

Mexican cartels are increasingly using kids to transport both people and drugs because young traffickers are less likely to be apprehended. Mark Qualia, U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman in Washington, said federal border officials historically have not tracked the number of undocumented minors apprehended for trafficking. Most, he said, are simply deported.

“Your smuggling organizations have come to realize that they don’t lose a potential courier — because if it’s a juvenile, nine times out of 10, they’ll be released,” Qualia said. Last month, Qualia said, Border Patrol began testing a system to track youths arrested in suspected trafficking incidents to identify repeat offenders.

Dont hear much about that, do ya? We got our troops in Iraq for the big corporations while they should be on the border / in Mexico handling this issue.

Drug War? hmm. really? only ones I know really fighting it are border guards and local police. Maybe DPS.

Too much money being made by politicians and big business types.

How about this next link


www.azcentral.com...

Kidnappings soar in Mexico

JUAREZ, Mexico - Daniel Escobedo was driving to school when he stopped for what he thought was a security check at a roadblock in the Mexican city of Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas.

Worried about being late for class, he hurriedly handed his driver\'s license to the two uniformed men, who he thought were police officers.

Moments later, two dark SUVs screeched to a halt. Armed masked men jumped out and grabbed Escobedo, 21. He spent the next six weeks blindfolded, shuttled between safe houses while a drug-gang leader negotiated a ransom with his father, who\'s a lawyer. He was beaten, shocked and burned until his rescue April 1 by Mexican soldiers who\'d been tipped that drug dealers were using the house.

and now in the US

The phenomenon is spilling over into the United States. Phoenix police investigated more than 350 kidnappings last year, a 40 percent increase from the year before. Most are tied to crackdowns in Mexico, said Detective Reuben Gonzales of the Phoenix police department.

The rise in kidnapping helped prompt a recent warning from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City about the dangers Americans might face as they travel in Mexico. \"Dozens of U.S. citizens were kidnapped and/or murdered in Tijuana in 2007,\" across from San Diego, according to the advisory, which was issued April 15. \"Public shootouts have occurred during daylight hours near shopping areas.\"

Aint heard much about this have ya? Dontcha think this is worthy of military intervention? How about the signs in AZ (60 miles north of the border) telling AMERICANS not to enter. Too dangerous!

When the hell did WE roll over and offer up our belly?

Our "leadership" has a LOT of explaning to do. Most should be brought on charges of fraud and treason for not upholding their obligations of DEFENDING THE NATION AGAINST ALL ENEMIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC! But I guess when some of them would rate as the domestic enemies its no wonder.

Originally posted by felonius

We got our troops in Iraq for the big corporations while they should be on the border / in Mexico handling this issue.

Aint heard much about this have ya? Dontcha think this is worthy of military intervention? How about the signs in AZ (60 miles north of the border) telling AMERICANS not to enter. Too dangerous!

When the hell did WE roll over and offer up our belly?

Our "leadership" has a LOT of explaning to do. Most should be brought on charges of fraud and treason for not upholding their obligations of DEFENDING THE NATION AGAINST ALL ENEMIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC! But I guess when some of them would rate as the domestic enemies its no wonder.

I live in Mexico, I hear about some of it.

Very true, there are many problems in the border towns along with incidents occurring, somewhat less frequently, in the interior of the country. Mexico has had a history of uprisings over "contraband" issues going back to the 1800's over tobacco and the likes.

As regards your question about US military intervention in Mexico: Are you kidding? A little imperialistic, no?

You do realize Mexico's problems stem from the US's drug prohibition policies. The Mexican government has proposed numerous times and has passed legislation to take a more sensible approach to those matters ending their prohibition but has been unable to enact those policies under pressure by the US.

Living next door to the world's largest drug-using nation has its downside. If you've ever had such neighbors you'd understand the problem. Actually it started out a little bit more amiable than that. During America's alcohol prohibition days it was like the friendly neighbor that would come over for a beer because his ol' lady wouldn't let him drink at home. He started becoming a pest but the best way to get rid of him was to give him a beer and send him on his way.

Our neighbor was willing to pay us a little extra to keep his beers on hand for him but he started wanting more and his ol' lady would get more agitated and now she wants to call in the cops. Oh Dear! Seems America's ol' lady is actually his mom and she won't let her boys grow up.

America has her foot in many of the world's doors and drugs is her excuse to get involved. Some of the world's neighbors agree with her but others wish the old bat would just stay at home and keep out of everyone else's affairs. It's her own drug rules that are making her unhappy, but because of her greedy nature she is only happy when she is meddling and causing hate and discontent.

reply to post by Erongaricuaro


Yeah. I realize the dope trade is major up here.

The only reason I'm suggesting the US military intervene is I dont think the Mexican govt can handle it. They are too compromised.

This is in the assumption that the "dope interests" up here would allow it. They go to the top imho.

Its a tangled up mess. Too many innocent folks are catching the flak.

I really wish it were'nt so. I like the culture. i LOVE the food. I'd love to visit the pyramids. I know just enough spanish to muddle through fairly well.

Damn shame really. Maybe the guys running blog del narco can sort it out. Those cats are hardcore!

I kinda think we need another composino up rising....on BOTH sides of the border. Where is a George Washingtion/ Emanuel Zapata when you need one?