Drug Cartels Flex Muscle In Southwest

It's a phone call few Americans will ever hear: "He's going to lose his finger, don't let him lose his life."

That's the terrifying sound of a kidnapper demanding money in exchange for the life of a loved one. It's hard to believe but calls like these come in virtually every single day in Phoenix, Ariz., which last year set up a special task force to battle back, CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports.

"The status of the problem is one that is going to explode across our country," said Lt. Lauri Burgett of the Phoenix Police Department's Violent Crimes Bureau.

Just last weekend a mother and her 3-year-old daughter were kidnapped by Mexican meth dealers seeking money owed by the dad. She was eventually released unharmed.

So was another man, but only after being tortured for three days by smugglers. His wife had to listen to his screams over the phone - as well as field $100,000 for ransom.

"They tried to take out the eyes and the ears and the finger, also," she said.

In fact, law enforcement sources tell CBS News that Phoenix has become ground zero for the explosion in the reported number of kidnappings and home invasions involving drug traffickers and criminals with connections to the Mexican drug cartels.

A CBS News investigation has discovered that as of last weekend, there have been 266 reported kidnappings and 300 home invasions this year alone. Sources say the real figures could run as much as three times higher because so many go unreported.

"It wasn't uncommon to have a new kidnapping case coming into our offices on a daily basis," Burgett said.

Law-enforcement sources say the kidnappings signal the brutal expansion of the raging Mexican drug wars spilling across the border. And one map reveals just how widely Mexican drug organizations have spread across the country - 195 cities in all.

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Check out National Drug Intelligence Center maps and data about Mexican drug operations in the United States. (16 pgs.)

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In June, three Mexican nationals were arrested by Phoenix police after a violent home invasion and murder at a drug "safe house." They were dressed head-to-toe just like the local S.W.A.T. team - and just as heavily armed.

Now CBS News has learned enforcer gangs just south of the Mexican border have added military-grade hand grenades to their arsenal - something special agent Jose Wall expects to see in Phoenix any day.

"There's nothing to make me believe that it won't happen," said Wall, an agent at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

It's not just hand grenades, kidnappings and home invasions that have law enforcement on edge. They say it's only a matter of time before innocent civilians are caught in the crossfire.

[dontexas57]

Then the cops in Phoenix better get armed and ''man-up''. If they get caught flatfooted, like I imagine they will, they''ll forfeit their lives. The cops are a marked and obvious target for the cartels and the biggest threat. The Mexican cartel soldiers will kill and kidnap all the cops and their families first. I guarantee the cartels have the name, home adress and phone number of every LEO who works for ANY agency in Phoenix. They''ll roll right up into their driveway in the middle of the night and shoot a rocket propelled grenade into the bedroom. Who will stop them ? No one.

[janish64]

Right, lovegetpeace.....

It is all about drugs. sarcasm INTENDED!!!

It is all about LAW BREAKING people in our land.
People who use FAKE/STOLEN social security numbers to be - ahem "law abiding, tax paying immigrants"

Just wait until the democrat free cheese voters realize THEY are having to "share the wealth" with the undocumented aliens - they will abandon that arm of the party JUST LIKE THEY DID WITH THE *** in California!!!

[frankinaz]

"Mexico has allowed terrorism onto American soil." I disagree with this statement: Mexico seems to allow this kind of lawlessness with their own country, and now it''s spreading to the US, because this government
is allowing the Southwest US to turn into a northern state of Mexico. President Bush, and all levels of government have all looked the other way while this has happened, and it will probably continue to happen
until this country''s appointed and elected leaders
finally have the courage to start enforcing it''s laws, enacting new ones as needed, and punish lawbreakers for a change.

[roach9703]

Now, we need at least one new military base on the border with Mexico with satellite support, ground based radar ( JSTARS ) and about to 10,000 to 25,000 troops. If anyone crosses the border armed or in armored vehicles, regardless of who it is without permission should be destroyed on site (period). We warn the Mexicans and follow this policy without exception (period).
That strategy will lessen criminal immigration, and protect the people on the border with Mexico.
Then ,we have to work on meaningful immigration reform.

[honestabe8]

If we want prohibition, this is the end result. Our elected leaders will not attempt to argue this, because they are basically spinless cowards. President-Elect Obama has stated that drugs should be treated as a health issue rather than a criminal justice issue, I hope that he backs it up when he is in office. A good start would be to disband the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), as they are just spewers of misinformation. On the other hand, he may just appoint another liar. Time will tell.

[lovegetpeace]

American directly finance the Al-Qaeda and Taliban when they buy all the Opiums and Heroins from Afghanistan.

[lovegetpeace]

To All the Anti-Immigrant Folks,

on Nov 4, 2008, 67% of Legal Hispanics voted for the Democratic Party.

Please continue to be as Racist as the KKK with the Undocumented Aliens so that 100% of Legal Hispanics will vote for the Democratic Party on Nov 11, 2011.

Your understanding will be greatly appreciated. It is incredible to believe that by eliminating the Undocumented Aliens, the Drug War is won. Mr. Capitalism said that you must kill the Huge Demands in order to kill the Suppliers.

[lovegetpeace]

Dear NeoCons,
Spring Break is almost here, please purchase your pound of Opium and Heroin and all the other Narcotic Drugs for your daughter and son so they can have a nice time doing S*e*x and Drugs.

[lovegetpeace]

Posted by buttonjockey at 10:59 AM : Nov 14, 2008

67% of Legal Hispanics voted for the Democratic Party on Nov 4, 2008.

Please continue your Anti-Immigration comments so that 100% of Legal Hispanics will vote for the Democratic Party on Nov 11, 2011.

I greatly appreciate your kind understanding.

[honestabe8]

Aggiekat: Then why not legalize pot here? It seems like it is way less toxic to individuals and to society than either alcohol or tobacco. Keep meth illegal, keep crack illegal, etc.