I've got some bad news for you today, and the situation appears as if it will only get worse. The cartel wars in Mexico continue unabated, and the violence and the gangs themselves are increasingly appearing in American cities, including here in Northern Nevada. The gangs are tied into Mexican cartel drug operations, and they also smuggle illegal immigrants into the U.S., ship other contraband and carry cash for money-laundering. The cartels control large swaths of territory in Mexico and many municipalities. They are waging violent turf battles over control of key smuggling corridors, employing hit men and groups of enforcers. Some of the cartels are using grenade launchers, auto matic weapons, and even ar mored vehicles against outgunned Mexican law enforcement. More worrisome, many have mastered the road side-bomb techniques employed by insurgents in Iraq and Afghan istan, and are using these improvised explosive devices against badly outgunned law enforcement agencies. [continues 575 words]
