El Universal (Mexico City) 11/2/09

News reporter abducted

Vladimir Atuna, a reporter for the periodical Tiempo de Durango, was abducted this morning by armed men in two vehicles in the state capital of Durango City, Durango.  Atuna was assigned to cover crime stories.  He has survived an attack on his home last April.  After another reporter, Eliseo Barron, of La Opinion Milenio was assassinated in May of this year, Atuna received threats because of his writings condemning the crime.

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Urban vigilante?

[A synopsis of Monday's op-ed column]

Mauricio Fernandez, the controversial mayor of San Pedro, Nuevo Leon, [a wealthy suburb of Monterrey] exhibited his profound knowledge of the inner workings of the narco business this weekend and, more, gave a glimpse of  what has become the dream of many: to become "anonymous avengers" due to the incapacity of the federal government to control crime. 

Although he met with top-level capos in his ultra-wealthy area and has expressed his opinion in favor of legalizing drugs before he was narrowly elected mayor for his second term, Fernandez made public that he has prepared "cleaning crews for tough jobs" to eliminate criminals, crime centers and drug sales.  Cleaning crews? Does that mean avengers, executioners, paramilitary?  Supposedly. 

On October 9, Fernandez said he received a death threat and now, just this weekend, Mauricio Fernandez, the very wealthy businessman, son of the northern industrial nobility, revealed on taking the office of mayor that the alleged narcotrafficker known as El Negro Saldana - who had threatened him with death - had been executed in DF [Federal District].  The authorities in DF had not even been informed. 

Only hours later did they find the bodies of the two Saldana brothers and two others linked to crime in San Pedro.  Are those deaths the result of the "cleaning crews"?  It's possible.  But although many applaud such manliness, one must remember that taking the law into one's own hands is illegal.

[Several major newspapers had short stories that the federal authorities have launched an investigation in this case.]

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 El Financiero (Mexico City) 11/2/09

New data on La Familia Michoacana

Mexican federal authorities now consider Ramon Moreno Madrigal, "el Llavero," one of the top leaders of the criminal organization La Familia Michoacana, immediately under the top boss, Nazaro Moreno, "el Chayo."  Although Moreno Madrigal has been in narco traffic for 15 years, he has kept a very low profile.  A narco lab watchman arrested last week provided new information about the cartel's structure along with names of the players, which authorities believe will lead to interesting new lines of investigation.

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 Cambio de Michoacan (Morelia, Michoacan) 11/2/09

 Weed destroyed

Federal Police destroyed a field of marihuana near Arteaga, Michoacan.  The field, 2,400 square meters [0.6 acre] with an estimated 16,800 full grown plants, was burned.  No arrests were reported.

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Crystal seized

Nearly two and a half tons of the synthetic drug known as "crystal" was seized by Mexican Army troops from an area near Zirahuen, Michoacan, after the seizure of three clandestine labs.  Five men were also arrested in the operation.

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La Familia hardest hit

Among the 1,005 subjects arrested by the Federal Police throughout Mexico so far this year, 189 belonged to the criminal organization La Familia Michoacana, making it the hardest hit by judicial forces, according to the Secretary of Public Security (SSP).  The second place for arrests belongs to the paramilitary gang known as Los Zetas, with 173 arrests.

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 El Informador (Guadalajara, Jalisco) 11/2/09

 More marihuana burned

A field of marihuana of about 14,400 plants was destroyed by state authorities near the town of Ayutla, Jalisco.  The plants were estimated to weigh 4.3 tons.  The field was discovered through an anonymous citizen's report.  Such fields are usually planted with a density of four plants per square meter and grow to over six feet.

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National Association Of Former Border Patrol Officers

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