Mexican drug wars spreading to U.S.

Published: Nov. 16, 2008 at 2:50 PM

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- The deadly drug gang turf wars that have claimed 4,000 lives so far this year in Mexico have spread to cities across the United States, officials say.

One example is in Atlanta, where federal authorities last month announced indictments against 41 people they said were trafficking drugs and laundering money for Mexican drug cartels, including a former deputy sheriff, the Los Angeles Times reported.

In San Diego, six men accused of belonging to a rogue faction of Tijuana's Arellano Felix gang were charged in connection with as many as a dozen murders and 20 kidnappings over a three-year span, the newspaper said.

U.S. officials say Mexican gangs have committed slayings, kidnappings and other crimes in at least 195 U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Boston, Seattle and Honolulu.

Authorities have completed an 18-month investigation aimed at the Mexican cartels called Project Reckoning, in which authorities arrested 507 people and seized more than $60 million in cash, 16,000 kilograms of cocaine, half a ton of methamphetamine, 19 pounds of heroin and 51 pounds of marijuana, the Times said.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
Your Daily Horoscope
The almanac
COL BKB: Butler 69, UCLA 67
COL FB: Boise St. 44, Nevada 33
NHL: San Jose 5, Edmonton 4 (SO)
NBA: Sacramento 109, New Jersey 96
COL BKB: Utah 60, Illinois 58
fark
Residents of Michigan town don't want it turned into Guantanamo North to make money: "We don't want...
Photoshop this swimmer with whale
Muslims and Christians find common ground
University says it's hiring someone to research lap dances. Job is certain to be a grind
Late for your flight? No problem, just have your secretary email a bomb threat to the airport
Purse-snatcher tries to rob "Geek Love" author Katherine Dunn, learns the hard way that authors...