Help Wanted: Mexican Gang Seeks Hitmen

Violent Drug Cartel Brazenly Advertises Its Need For Hired Guns In Border Town

(AP)  Hitmen tied to Mexico's Gulf cartel appear to be boldly seeking recruits by posting help-wanted signs in the border city of Nuevo Laredo, including a giant banner hung across a thoroughfare, a federal anti-drug enforcement official said Monday.

The banner appeared over the weekend in Nuevo Laredo near the border with Texas: “Operative group 'The Zetas' wants you, soldier or ex-soldier. We offer a good salary, food and benefits for your family. Don't suffer anymore mistreatment and don't go hungry.”

The Zetas is the enforcement arm of the Gulf cartel and is made up of former Mexican soldiers. Photos of the banner were displayed prominently in Mexico's national media on Monday.

An official of the federal attorney general's office, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give his name, told The Associated Press that authorities believe the banner is authentic, although they are still investigating.

He said officials believe the banner may be a response to the government after it posted signs in several cities with the photos of three Zeta members, asking people to call police if they see them.

In Nuevo Laredo, those signs were recently defaced and several had a telephone number written across them, the official said. The same telephone number appeared on the banner. The Associated Press called the number, but a recording said the number does not exist.

Security expert Jose Luis Pineyro said the recruiting effort could be drug traffickers' way of thumbing their noses at the federal government, but is unlikely to be an effective way of bringing in new blood.

“On the contrary, those who have decided to desert or remain inside the armed forces as spies are already doing that,” Pineyro said.

Earlier this month, law enforcement officials said drug cartels were using classified ads to lure young Mexicans in Ciudad Juarez into unknowingly working as drug couriers.

Mexico City's El Universal newspaper first reported the trend, citing ads in Ciudad Juarez newspapers that require applicants to have the U.S. visa needed to drive a vehicle across the border but do not mention job experience.

A federal official, not authorized to give his name, said applicants often think they are applying to become messengers, but they end up unwittingly driving vehicles loaded with drugs into neighboring El Paso, Texas.

Chris Mears, a spokesman for the El Paso Police Department, said he was aware of the trend and had seen several teenagers charged after being found with loads of drugs in their cars.

Tighter border security on both sides has forced drug cartels to find creative ways to move their contraband into the U.S.

Mexican authorities say cartels are training new recruits in the face of President Felipe Calderon's nationwide crackdown. Since taking office in 2006, Calderon has sent more than 20,000 troops to areas plagued by drug violence.

[libsrweak]

Posted by lovegetpeace at 01:33 PM : Apr 15, 2008
+ report abuse

******

welcome to the "I" generation.....iphone, igoogle, ipods.

[libsrweak]

Posted by sunshie25 at 12:52 PM : Apr 15, 2008
+ report abuse


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A lot of communities from coast to coast WOULD DIAGREE WITH YOU..

[lovegetpeace]

Its amazing how strong the demand for narcotic drugs in the United States. The suppliers follow the demand as they say in Capitalism.

Americans are so bored with life, they have to resort to drugs to get a little high/excitement out of their sick life. The previous generation of Americans threw all good family traditions out the window. Today youth Americans grew up with just video games. They have wasted and are wasting so much life. This is a huge intangible cost to society in Mexico and United States. Americans are sure addicted to Oil and Drugs.

[lovegetpeace]

Its amazing how strong the demand for narcotic drugs in the United States.

Americans are so bored with life, they have to resort to drugs to get a little high out of their life. The previous generation of Americans threw all joyful traditions out the window. Today youth Americans grew up with just video games. They have wasted and are wasting so much life. This is a huge intangible cost to society.

[drputt45]

Well down here in Texas we noticed a long line of cars waiting to cross the border into Nuevo Laredo. Maybe they can help with our jobless problem. Hitmen heading south on the NAFTA highway.

[sunshie25]

How about thrashing the environment? Two houses down from mine there are around 22 adults mexican in a 1100 sq. ft. house & about 9 cars spread out on the streets & in the yards. Last month they all got together to change the oil in about 8 of the cars and guess where the old oil went? Right on the ground on the empty lot next to thier house.

Furthermore, I have seen born-and-bred americans doing this, too. It''s not a cultural thing, it''s an i d i o t thing.

[sunshie25]

see. In your mind, if you come to the US from a poor country then theft is justified & should not be looked upon as a bad thing.
How about thrashing the environment? Two houses down from mine there are around 22 adults mexican in a 1100 sq. ft. house & about 9 cars spread out on the streets & in the yards. Last month they all got together to change the oil in about 8 of the cars and guess where the old oil went? Right on the ground on the empty lot next to thier house.


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Posted by Questionnews at 12:53 PM : Apr 15, 2008

No, not justified. But would you steal to feed your children? I guess not, given your comment. I would. I would steal to feed my kids in an instant. If I had exhausted every possible legal means to do feed them, of course. You don''t know, no one does, whether this woman HAD used every resource available to her.....

[marcpcbs]

Who knew it would be so hard to find a "HIT MAN" in Mexico?

[questionnews]

Sure, IF your story is true, then that woman stole, but have you ever lived in abject poverty? People live it every day in this country. In a first-world country. Think about that before you spout of at the a** the way you have been.

Posted by sunshie25 at 12:41 PM : Apr 15, 2008


I see. In your mind, if you come to the US from a poor country then theft is justified & should not be looked upon as a bad thing.
How about thrashing the environment? Two houses down from mine there are around 22 adults mexican in a 1100 sq. ft. house & about 9 cars spread out on the streets & in the yards. Last month they all got together to change the oil in about 8 of the cars and guess where the old oil went? Right on the ground on the empty lot next to thier house.

[sunshie25]

So do you put up with this *** every day in your neck of the woods? Come to Northern VA.


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Posted by fastfredy1 at 12:43 PM : Apr 15, 2008

I live near a very large mexican community - in fact, I share an apartment building with three mexican families. Maybe they are different here (Washington State) than they are there, because they are polite and respectful and quiet. They work hard (leaving when I am walking my dog at 5 a.m and arriving home long after I have finished my dinner) and do not live in squalor. I am not saying they are all like that, but I have a hard time relating your stories to the large number of hispanic-descent people I know here.