MEXICO AND SOUTHERN BORDER STATES

MEXICO AND SOUTHERN BORDER STATES

Grenades: The Weapon of Choice in the Drug Wars

30 November 2011

Political Animal
Fragmentation Grenades
The weapon of choice between the Mexican drug cartels has become the fragmentation grenade which has a blast radius of up to 200 meters.
The first registered grenade attack occurred in Tonala, Jalisco in August 2005. Since then, there have been 159 attacks using grenades which resulted in 118 deaths and 588 wounded.
Between January and September 2011, there have been 88 grenade attacks; a 2,000% increase from 2005. The total number of attacks during this period is double the number registered in 2010.
In the past five years, authorities have seized over 10,000 grenades. They have also begun to recover toy grenades filled with explosive powder.
According to Alejandro Hope, former consultant with the Center for Investigation and National Security and expert on Mexico security, it is logical that there is an increase in grenade usage due to the ease of use and the fact that no special military training is required to use this weapon. Additionally, they cause mass confusion and daze their rivals, which allows an easy escape for the perpetrator.
On 28 August, one day prior to the arson at Casino Royale in Monterrey which killed 52 people, there were grenade attacks on two casinos in Reynosa and Saltillo.
On 27 September 2011 in Tamaulipas, there were seven grenade attacks in a 24-hour period. Only one person was injured. Almost all occurred in public locations such as a:
• Bar

• Night club

• Salon

• Pedestrian pathway

• Federal Electric Commission headquarters

• Parking garages

• Highways

• Town squares

• Tamaulipas – 17%

• Michoacán – less than 10%

• Jalisco – less than 10%

• Coahuila – less than 10%
According to Eduardo Guerrero Gutiérrez, security specialist, the geographic distribution of grenade attacks correlates to the worsening clashes between Los Zetas and rival groups in the northwest region of Mexico.

• 
  From 2005 to September 2011, 159 grenade attacks were registered
  
• 
  32% of these attacks occurred in Nuevo Leon and in second place Tamaulipas with 18%. Coahuila, Jalisco and Michoacán are in third place with 9% of the attacks each
  
• 
  Since 2006, the date Felipe Calderon took office, until September 2011, there was an 8,700% increase in attacks, with 88 attacks already this year
  

State

2005 - 2011

State Total % from

2005 - 2011

Total attacks per year

ATTACKS BY STATE

Year / State

State Total from 2005 - 2011

State Total from 2005 - 2011

Total # deaths per state

• 
  In the past seven years, 118 people have died as a result of grenade attacks. Guerrero, Jalisco and Michoacán account for 65% of the victims.
  

Spanish Source: [www.animalpolitico.com/2011/11/granadas-el-arma-de-moda-en-la-guerra-del-narco/]

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Tucson Woman Carrying Pot Crashes Car While Fleeing Checkpoint (AZ)

2 December 2011

KVOA
TUCSON - A Tucson woman attempted to flee an Interstate-19 checkpoint yesterday and crashed her vehicle after a Border Patrol canine team alerted to the presence of drugs - agents found 130 pounds of marijuana stashed in her vehicle.
The 29-year-old U.S. citizen was being referred to a secondary inspection area after the canine team alerted to the vehicle, according to a news release from Customs and Border Protection. She fled the checkpoint and crashed her vehicle while exiting the interstate just south of Tucson.

Agents then arrested her and found six bundles of marijuana inside the vehicle, weighing 130 pounds.

Source: [www.kvoa.com/news/tucson-woman-carrying-pot-crashes-car-while-fleeing-checkpoint/]

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Major Arrests Expected to Shake Up Gulf Cartel (TAMPS)

1 December 2011

KRGV
MATAMOROS, MEXICO - The Mexican military has taken down some of the Gulf Cartel’s top leaders. A cartel expert says we'll probably see more violence in Matamoros in the coming days.

 The expert say the Zetas see will see these arrests as an opportunity to take advantage of the Gulf's troubles.

The Mexican navy took down Tormenta's son and the other cartel leaders outside the Gran Hotel Residencial last Friday. It’s in Calle Alvaro Obregon in Matamoros. The navy says it got an anonymous tip that led them to the hotel.

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