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Mexican Gangs Move Into US Indian Land

Drug cartels take advantage of overworked cops

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 5, 2009 2:12 AM CST

(Newser) – Mexican drug gangs have been rapidly expanding their marijuana-growing operations in the US in recent years, especially on Indian reservations. The gangs take advantage of underfunded tribal police departments, large tracts of unused land, and overlapping jurisdictions to set up grows on reservations from California to South Dakota, authorities say. The Mexicans easily blend in with transient populations on the reservations, according to cops.

The traffickers also use the reservations for gun trafficking and smuggling of narcotics brought in from Mexico and Canada. Overstretched tribal police say they expect the gangs to continue appearing during every growing season. "If we ever catch them, we'll run them off the reservation," the police chief at one Oregon reservation tells the Wall Street Journal.

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Marijuana seized on Indian land made up around half of all the pot seized in Washington state last year. (AP Photo/U.S. Fish and Wildlife)

Many grow operations are so remote that authorities can only access them by helicopter. (AP Photo/Los Angeles Sheriff's Department)

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These criminal organizations are growing in Indian country at an alarming rate. - Police chief Carmen Smith of Oregon's Warm Spring Indian Reservation

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 5 comments

patrickd79

Nov 6, 2009 1:33 AM CST

@jamerican. You never add anything constructive to the conversation, and only seem to add comments that allow you to spew your hate-filled beliefs. I doubt that you ever come into meaningful contact with any immigrants and therefore your opinions are ill-informed. Sorry, I usually like to keep comments on the positive side.

Fondue

Nov 5, 2009 12:53 PM CST

Because funding in the short term can protect indigents faster than legislation can. We have to have a two or three tier assault.

divetrader

Nov 5, 2009 11:25 AM CST

The drug cartels might want to think twice about encroaching on Indian territory. Unless they are willing to pay native Americans for use of their land, they may end up losing a few scalps.

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World • Crime & Courts • Health

marijuana • drug cartel • Native American • tribes • drug traffickers • reservation • Mexican drug cartel

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Mexican Gangs Move Into US Indian Land