DeadlineLive.info
6/11/14
The recent influx of underage illegals crossing the border into the United States is providing a huge boost to Mexican drug cartels. DeadlineLive.info has learned from sources on the Mexican side of the border that criminal organizations, such as Los Zetas and the Gulf Drug Cartel are taking advantage of migrant children by kidnapping them, and collecting ransom money from their parents or relatives.
Furthermore, the drug cartels are increasing their numbers by recruiting underage migrants that do not make it across the border into the United States.
Recently, with the legalization of marijuana for recreational use in Colorado, and for medical purposes in other states, many Mexican drug cartels had decided not to continue smuggling pot into the U.S., since it was no longer profitable enough.
Criminal organizations like the Gulf Drug Cartel suffered major fractures and infighting, giving way to the arrest of one of its leaders last month, Juan Rodriguez, after several weeks of violence in the city of Reynosa, across the border from McAllen, Texas.
As a result of the Gulf Cartel breaking into different factions, Los Zetas regained territory and influence, controlling most of the smuggling routes along the Texas-Mexico border. According to sources in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, Los Zetas have been benefiting the most out of the illegal immigrant influx, mostly consisting of children coming from southern Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador.
Many of these children are recruited to join drug cartel enforcement gangs. When the cartels kidnap the migrant children as they cross their territory and heading north toward the border, and find out they have relatives waiting for them in the United States, they hold them for ransom. The cartels then contact the people in the U.S., demanding money for the children’s release. The children whose relatives do not comply with the cartel’s demands are murdered or sold to prostitution rings.
Source