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Mexican Drug Cartels Turn Into Mafias

By Drew Nelles,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 16, 2009 7:10 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Mexican drug cartels have evolved into mafia empires, charging protection fees to businesses and providing social services and jobs where government cannot, the AP reports. Behind it lurks the threat of violence or kidnapping, which drug lords carry out with near impunity. "Today, the traffickers have big companies, education, careers," one lawmaker says. "They're businessman of the year."

Mexico's war on drugs and falling US cocaine profits helped transform the cartels, pushing them to seek profits in "turf taxes" and stolen-good trafficking. The government responded by launching a nationwide anti-extortion program; locals have fought back by shuttering businesses or moving away. One town dug ditches around its perimeter to keep kidnappers away. "Even with the ditches, they still came in and kidnapped five people," one official said.

Mexico's drug cartels are becoming true mafias, demanding money from everybody from junkyard owners to town mayors and forcing many businesses in northern border states to close down.
Mexico's drug cartels are becoming true mafias, demanding money from everybody from junkyard owners to town mayors and forcing many businesses in northern border states to close down.   (AP Photo/Guillermo Arias)
Souvenirs sit for sale in front of a closed shop with a for rent sign along Revolucion Avenue in Tijuana. Mexico's drug cartels have branched out into large-scale extortion and protection rackets.
Souvenirs sit for sale in front of a closed shop with a for rent sign along Revolucion Avenue in Tijuana. Mexico's drug cartels have branched out into large-scale extortion and protection rackets.   (AP Photo/Guillermo Arias)
A sign that reads in Spanish Goodbye friends hangs on a closed restaurant-bar along the famous Revolucion Avenue in Tijuana, Mexico. Many businesses have been driven to close by cartel turf taxes.
A sign that reads in Spanish "Goodbye friends" hangs on a closed restaurant-bar along the famous Revolucion Avenue in Tijuana, Mexico. Many businesses have been driven to close by cartel "turf taxes."   (AP Photo/Guillermo Arias)
An unidentified man lies dead with his wrists and ankles tied as police stand around him on the outskirts of Tijuana, Mexico. Drug violence has killed more than 11,000 people since December 2006.
An unidentified man lies dead with his wrists and ankles tied as police stand around him on the outskirts of Tijuana, Mexico. Drug violence has killed more than 11,000 people since December 2006.   (AP Photo/Guillermo Arias)
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It's almost like Chicago, when Al Capone ruled everything. They control everything from the shoeshine boy to the taxi driver. - US law enforcement official

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 10 comments
OWLWOMANXXXX
Aug 17, 2009 12:54 PM CDT
Cartell will kill babies...Mafia only killed those who crossed them.....usually another member...then at least sent flowers to the funeral...Mafia had some class....Cartell a bunch of jerks
jagerhans
Aug 17, 2009 12:02 PM CDT
someone watched the movie - or read the book "Gomorra" ? here you find described how camorra's welfare works. the mafious get payrolls , and when they are jailed their women live off 'mafia welfare' . they get money after retirement, there are mafia clerks who do this job of accounting and paying. The mafias are not associations of street burglars and robbers. The mafias are a higly social form of crime living in symbiosis with the law, forming a sort of shadow state with its own laws. mafias win when they, in popular belief, are regarded as more reliable than the state, or when the only way of living in some places is obeying to their rules. You beat mafia with money, not with guns. We italians know something about this.
jagerhans
Aug 17, 2009 11:57 AM CDT
wake up people, a vast part, I mean a major share of the world economy is in the hands of criminal organizations who live on drugs first. we italians have mafia groups like the 'ndrangheta that has strongholds in all europe and south america. one of their men became a chief of FARC. mafias can only be beaten on the field of money. since the situation with drugs can't get any worse, the only way is stopping prohibitionism on all substances. it is better to have some more junkies, but 'legal' and under control, rather having not much smaller hordes of drug users AND mafias getting more rich and powerful each new day. not to mention that drugs could become a big, big source of income for the state like taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and firearms. after all, if there is people stupid enough to kill themselves with drugs, why not letting them free of improving the human race. if drugs are controlled but the users are not punished, also you may track down more easily the users and prevent them from doing risky jobs or getting driving licenses.

 
Mexico • organized crime • kidnapping • drug trafficking • extortion • Mafia • drug cartel

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