Friday, October 2nd 2009
MEXICO CITY — Two raids by security forces have netted the largest seizures of methamphetamine precursor chemicals in Mexico’s history, federal officials announced Friday.
Agents seized 20 tons of chemicals used to produce methamphetamine at Manzanillo port in the Pacific coast state of Colima and 17 tons at the border city of Nuevo Laredo, across from Laredo, Tex., Mexico’s federal attorney general’s office said in a news release.
Mexico is a leading producer of methamphetamine, according to the U.S. government.
The seizures are part of a national crackdown launched in 2006 against drug gangs. The cartels, under increasing pressure, have responded with unprecedented violence; more than 13,500 people have died in drug violence in three and a half years.
Officials say most of the dead are traffickers killed in battles with rivals, but police, soldiers and even bystanders have died as well.
Ciudad Juarez, across from El Paso, Tex., is Mexico’s deadliest city with more than 1,700 killings so far this year.
source: AP
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