Mexican Zetas extending violence into Dallas

[Rose Siding]

MEXICO CITY – A team of rogue Mexican commandos blamed for dozens of killings along the U.S.-Mexico border has carried out at least three drug-related slayings in Dallas, a sign that the group is extending its deadly operations into U.S. cities, two American law enforcement officials say.

The men are known as the Zetas, former members of the Mexican army who defected to Mexico's so-called Gulf drug cartel in the late 1990s, other officials say.

"These guys run like a military," said Arturo A. Fontes, an FBI special investigator for border violence based in Laredo, in South Texas. "They have their hands in everything and they have eyes and ears everywhere. I've seen how they work, and they're good at what they do. They're an impressive bunch of ruthless criminals."
...
Gil Cerda, a spokesman for the Dallas Police Department narcotics division, said he had personally not heard of the group and could not comment.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/022005dnnatzetas.869f0.html

[bemildred]

1. The Drug War, the gift that keeps on giving. nt

[Enraged_Ape]

2. I much prefer the Catherine Zetas

[Sporadicus]

3. Zeta's Tatas...

[livinginphotographs]

4. Mmmmmmm.....

She actually makes me like watching T-Mobile commercials.

[Vogon_Glory]

5. Grover Norqist's Idiot Theories Being Put To The Test--AND Failing

Does anyone SERIOUSLY think that federal and state governments shrunk so small that they could "be drowned in a bathtub" are capable of dealing with large, well-organized, well-armed criminal gangs? I believe that the Zetas are proving that theory to be full of horse manure.

Back in the 191_'s and 1920's, the US federal government and most state governments were as small as current right-wing ideologues like to rhapsodize about. What law enforcement there was was underpaid, under-manned, and subject to corruption. The local sheriffs and small-town police departments were unable to deal with such impromptu and careless clutches of crooks like John Dillinger or Ma Barker's family, let alone the much better organized Capone organization or the New York City mobs. They'd have been dead meat against the Zetas or the Salvatruchas of today.

Another case of "Conservative"/Republican political theory leading to disaster.

[struggle4progress]

6. In Norquist's heaven, the uber-wealthy would have their own mercenary ...

... armies to protect them. In fact, they'll probably just employ the criminal gangs ...

[Jack_DeLeon]

7. So you think the Government should pass more laws...

make more things illegal, take away more citizen rights, and give the police more power?

I'm sorry but thats bullshit.

The way to deal with bullshit like this isnt to turn American into more of a police state, the way to end this bullshit is to end the war on drugs.

The Drug War is what is allowing these bad guys to make so much money and to afford to organize themselves.

[Vogon_Glory]

10. On the Police and Law Enforcement and Good Government

I'm being asked if I'm in favor of making more things illegal, if I'm in favor of taking away more citizens' rights, or if I'm in favor of giving the police more power? I'm not saying anything of the sort.

What I am saying is that only a properly-funded, properly-trained, properly-paid law enforcement apparatus is capable of dealing with the threat to life, property, and public order that such well-organized, well-armed, and ruthless criminal organizations like the Zetas and the Salvatruchas represent. I am also saying that idiot right-wing "Fibbertarian" theorists would leave the US, the states, and city and county authorities with under-staffed, under-funded, and underequipped police organizations completely incapable of dealing with threats like the Zetas or the Salvatruchas, or lesser threats like small-time street gangs.

There are already places along the US--Mexico border where the Gulf cartel has already overpowered local authorities, and countries like Guatemala and Honduras where drug cartels pose more of a counter of power than any group of left-wing guerillas ever did.

I'm saying that hair-brained, ivory-tower, mint julep-drinking, Dixie dreamer right-wing theorists should take more of a look at the real world and see how their theories perfrom in real life, instead of trying to enact their fantasies as public policy. Progressives should show the discrepancy between these right-wing ideologues' fantasies and the real world and club them over the head with frequency and gusto.

BTW I agree with you about the drug war, but that's another matter.

[proudbluestater]

8. I guess they're here to take all those jobs "nobody wants to do." n/t

[AgadorSparticus]

9. this is exactly why we need to have better command of our borders.