Crime, Safety, and the Police

[Cienega32]

Exception is not the rule but a discretion. A discretion may not be repeatable. Stick to the rule of having a passport, passport card or Sentry pass and let not the disreation create an distraction.

A Sentry pass provide faster border crossing. Cost is asscocated with Sentry pass and in depth limitless evaluation process required and a personal interview. Even for Sentry pass holder the CBP fail to follow the rules and make an exception. Stand in the regular line. Sentry lane closed.

I do understand the fustration of dealing with CPB.

I cross to Juarez at least once a week and use my PP card. One week I left it home and only had my driver's license. After a short but respectfully concerned & quiet apology, I was handed the paper detailing the requirements and told that they were going to really start backing it up soon. I passed without issue other than a "verbal advisement".

At any rate, I'm an obvious gringo with a NY accent and a history of weekly PP card scans in the system so I'm sure that helped with the situation.

With the past delay in inactment of this and the length of time since actual inception, I wouldn't want to test the system with anything less than what's required at this point.

At my usual ped crossing, they have the Sentry line that they double duty as a line for American born citizens with the passport or card. You can bypass the long bridge line pretty quickly.

[Efjayel]

This shoot out at the Utopia bar was in Nov 23, 2008

Six killed in Tijuana drug gang violence
Published: Nov. 23, 2008 at 2:57 PM

TIJUANA, Mexico, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- Five people died a Tijuana, Mexico, bar shooting and gunmen killed a man being treated at a hospital in drug-related violence this weekend, officials said.

Baja California authorities said three masked gunmen walked into the Bar Utopia in Tijuana Friday night and began firing AK-47 assault rifles inside, killing two men and a woman at the scene, while another man and a woman died later at a hospital, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

Nine more people were reported injured in the night club, from which police recovered 99 spent shell casings.

Meanwhile, gunmen entered the intensive care unit of Hospital del Prado, a small facility a few miles from downtown Tijuana, and shot a patient to death, the Union-Tribune said.

The violence raised this year's death toll from drug-related killings in and around the border city of 1.3 million people to more than 685, officials said.

You mean the one that Fernando Escobedo witnessed? Where is the Utopia bar anyways?

"Tijuana resident Fernando Escobedo said he used to spend his evenings at a vibrant strip of clubs in the border city until a recent massacre at one of his hangouts."

[One Wing Low]

US soldier dies in drug attack in Mexico strip bar
Wed Nov 4, 2009 2:39pm EST*

Suspected drug hitmen kill six men on U.S. border

* Violence is latest attack in escalating drug war

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Gunmen with automatic weapons burst into a Mexican strip club on the U.S. border, opened fire on patrons and killed six people including an American soldier, the army said on Wednesday.

The hooded gunmen stormed into the bar in Ciudad Juarez as strippers were dancing for customers, sought out the six men and shot them each several times. A 26-year-old off-duty U.S. soldier who had crossed over from El Paso, Texas, was among the dead, army spokesman Enrique Torres said.

"It appears drugs were being sold at the place," Torres said of the strip joint. "The hitmen went directly for their victims, no one else."

The suspected drug hitmen escaped the bar easily, while panicking customers fled in their cars as pools of blood gathered around spent bullet cases on the bar floor.

Ciudad Juarez is reckoned to be one of the world's most violent cities as it has become the bloodiest flashpoint in Mexico's three-year fight against feuding drug cartels.

As cartels fight over the city's local drug market and smuggling routes into the United States, dealers, addicts, cops and hitmen are all targeted by rivals in a spiraling and increasingly chaotic drug war.

Dozens of bars and drug rehab clinics have been attacked by drug hitmen this year and more than 2,000 people have died in drug violence in Ciudad Juarez in 2009 despite the presence of 10,000 troops and federal police sent in to stop the killings.

A recent Mexican study put the city's homicide rate higher than notorious murder capitals such as Venezuela's Caracas, the U.S. city of New Orleans and South Africa's Cape Town.

Across Mexico, the drug war has killed some 15,000 people since President Felipe Calderon launched his army-backed campaign against the cartels in late 2006.

Despite U.S. anti-drug aid for Mexico, the escalating conflict, a major concern in Washington, threatens to overwhelm Mexican state security forces as wealthy cartels enjoy huge arsenals of weapons and grenades.

The violence has scared tourists away from border cities like Ciudad Juarez and Tijuana just as Mexico is reeling from its worst economic recession since the 1930s. (Reporting by Julian Cardona)

[One Wing Low]

This shoot out at the Utopia bar was in Nov 23, 2008

Six killed in Tijuana drug gang violence
Published: Nov. 23, 2008 at 2:57 PM

TIJUANA, Mexico, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- Five people died a Tijuana, Mexico, bar shooting and gunmen killed a man being treated at a hospital in drug-related violence this weekend, officials said.

Baja California authorities said three masked gunmen walked into the Bar Utopia in Tijuana Friday night and began firing AK-47 assault rifles inside, killing two men and a woman at the scene, while another man and a woman died later at a hospital, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

Nine more people were reported injured in the night club, from which police recovered 99 spent shell casings.

Meanwhile, gunmen entered the intensive care unit of Hospital del Prado, a small facility a few miles from downtown Tijuana, and shot a patient to death, the Union-Tribune said.

The violence raised this year's death toll from drug-related killings in and around the border city of 1.3 million people to more than 685, officials said.

[One Wing Low]

mexico opens 2010 with one of its deadliest days

by martha mendoza, associated press writer martha mendoza, associated press writer – mon jan 11, 10:20 pm et

mexico city – mexico opened the new year with what could be its most dubious distinction yet in the 3-year-old battle against drug trafficking — 69 murders in one day.

the country resembled a grim, statistical dart board saturday as law enforcement and media reported the deaths from various regions, including 26 in the border city of ciudad juarez, 13 in and around mexico city and 10 in the northern city of chihuahua.

more than 6,500 drug-related killings made 2009 the bloodiest year since president felipe calderon declared war on the cartels in late 2006 and deployed 45,000 soldiers to fight organized crime, according to death tallies by san diego's trans-border institute.

two weeks into 2010, gang bloodshed is becoming more grotesque as drug lords ramp up their attempts at intimidation. last week a victim's face was peeled from his skull and sewn onto a soccer ball. on monday, prosecutors in culiacan identified the remains of 41-year-old former police officer divided into two separate ice chests.

"you wonder how this will end, and it seems impossible," said daniel vega, an architect in the northern city of monterrey. "i doubt mexico can override drug use, especially since demand for the drugs, as well as all the money and weapons, come from the united states."

using their so-called narcobarometer, researchers at the university of san diego's trans-border institute track and analyze murders in mexico, hoping to find ways to quell the violence. their tally? more than 20,000 murders since 2001, more than half in the past two years.

"it does appear that the violence has grown exponentially, but it's not clear that it's necessarily a slippery downward slope from here," institute director david shirk said, noting that government operations — including a december raid that killed cartel boss arturo beltran leyva — have hit seven of mexico's eight significant cartels.

shirk said the remaining, mostly unrep001hed sinaloa cartel headed by billionaire gang boss joaquin "el chapo" guzman may now become dominant, reducing the deadly power struggles.

"if that happens, it's quite possible that six months from now things will be much calmer," shirk said.

though almost all of drug-violence victims are somehow involved with cartels, the impact is felt well beyond law enforcement and organized crime.

"i'm afraid to take to the streets every day because of the violence, and i no longer want to excel economically because it could make me an easy target for a kidnapping," said silvana cervantes, a monterrey nurse.

tijuana resident fernando escobedo said he used to spend his evenings at a vibrant strip of clubs in the border city until a recent massacre at one of his hangouts.

"now i prefer socializing at houses or parties, with family or lifetime friends," he said.

as mexico tries to develop both politically and economically, the killings jeopardize its international reputation, said larry birns, director of the council on hemispheric affairs in washington.

"the figures in mexico are so scary that it has produced a subliminal sense that mexico is a dangerous place and you'd better keep away," he said.

calderon said last week he would shift focus to job creation and reducing poverty and move the fight against drug cartels that dominated the first half of his presidency to no. 3.

monterrey police officer delfino ramos, who grapples with the violence in his daily work, said economic issues are at the root of the problems.

"so much unemployment pushes people toward crime," he said.

[Country John]

It looked like a lot of innocent people have recently been kidnapped and murdered in Mexico, including the 3 family members of the Marine who was killed in combat.

My Mexican friends, who live in the US, are all scared shitless of going into Mexico. They sure know of a lot more serious threats than we do.

The thugs who spread indiscrimate violence in Mexico have to be the stupidest, most cowardly and most evil assholes on earth. As long as those thugs continue to walk free, the world can say there is no civilization in Mexico.

It's time to stop making excuses for those stupid cowards and take collective actions to improve life for everyone.

Most everyone I know is shocked by the violence, that's true. It's not because there is violence in Mexico, but that the violence is so high profile and brutal. How about driving to work in Orange County and seeing a corpse swinging from an overpass. Shocking stuff eh? There is no ignoring the fact that it is 99% drug industry related however, and it should not be denied.

The problem is that one doesn't know when the top is going to come off and a wave of violence erupts around you. I was at dinner with the girley on Saturday evening and I was thinking: "What if the guys at the next table are drug guys and their competitors come in and machine gun the place?" I try to pick a table in a safe place.

I am not scared personally (because I have no connection to the drug world), I am concerned about being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but where is the right place? Nobody seems to be able to predict that. So that "hunted look" you see in regular people's eyes is for that reason, not because they are frighted that they themselves will be the target.

Grabbing the cartel leaders and getting them off the streets makes way for other less experienced thugs. This is good because they tend to be stupid and higher profile, therefore easier to catch. More heads will roll (literally) before it's over but at least the new bad guys are easier to see. That's the logic behind getting the top dogs off the street.

Make no mistake about it, Mexico is serious about stopping the violence and protecting people, I'm convinced of that. It will always be a game of "catch up" however; the most they can hope for is a fast response because they can only "react" right now until they can reach a level of sophistication to where they can be more "proactive." If the government does nothing, it will become a failed state and you can bet your ass they won't let that happen. There could very well be another war for independence from the drug cartels; something that would not be out of line IMHO.

Now, TJPD, State Police and the Feds patrol in three or four vehicle groups. That means it can take up to 4 times longer to get a response to a call; if you're bleeding, you might bleed out before they get there. Red cross usually gets there before the cops do anyway.

It takes no brains, no education and very little training to be a thug. You really have to be wired backwards and dysfunctional as a human being. People like this are deported back to Mexico from the USA every day, they're being released from jail in Mexico every day. There is no shortage of bad guys who have little to look forward to except the short term rewards crime brings.

Now, the cartels are recruiting kids to off other kids as was the case last week where three kids were off'd here in TJ who attended school Sate Side. One of the dead was positively identified as a drug dealer on campus in Chula Vista, so the connections are still being made to the industry. Cops are just now beginning to make connections between the kids and the cartels.

These are not your average kids, these are street hardened, no fear type who would kill you without thinking twice. They get shorter prison sentences for murders and possession of contraband, so when they get caught, sent to the big house and then are back on the street, they are tougher, meaner and better trained. One 16YO busted for murder I saw on TV was covered from head to toe with tats. He is one mean motherfucker.

There is a tenseness in the air here in Tijuana, but that's not stopping people from going about their business and living their lives. Remember: a vast majority of people here have no connection to the cartels. They are honest and hard working people who put in long hours for little pay.

I continue to read stories about violence State side and can see reasons to be tense there also. It's an unsafe environment wherever you go these days. While there is little to be gained by living your life in fear, you should double check the locks on the door and be aware of your surroundings when you are out.

If you are not in good enough shape to defend yourself, then you should stay out of dangerous areas altogether, just like State-side.

So far, the cartels have not engaged in "terrorist" type activities. While finding a garbage bag of severed heads is nothing for a giggle session, they've not opened fire of crowds of innocents. They've not gone into Plaza Rio and machine gunned the place. They've not opened fire on public gatherings for celebrations etc., there have been no car bombs, building bombs or airline incidents (thank Almighty God). The violence is focused; one group against another.

I know it's difficult to have that perspective when you read the papers or watch the news reports of blood in the streets in Tijuana or other cities in Mexico, but the reality is that the drug trade had deep roots here and for entire lifetimes; vast sums were made selling drugs to the USA (after being set up by the USA). Now, these generations are being told that it's illegal to do something that they've been paid by the government to do for many many years.

It'll take some time to shake that out just like the poppy fields of Afghanistan and South America. There's bound to be some shake-ups, upsets and violent protests. "Heads will roll."

The other side of the coin is the crime associated with the economic situation in Mexico which is bad with a capital B. This problem is as old as God's dog. Most people in Mexico would rather ask you for a few pesos, or offer to wipe you car down, sell you gum, flowers or blow flames at the stop lights than kick your ass and rob you. The criminal element is as real here as it is State-Side in this regard however and is no less a concern.

My rule is that if I have it, I give it. 50 Pesos to the parking lot security guy for example or 10 pesos to the 80 year old wrinkle. I think differently about giving than most people I know but we won't get into that and I'll end this rant right here.

Be safe and be nice.
Country John

[One Wing Low]

I went to the mariscos stand. The old man was back. He was not shot.

His 25 YO youngest son deals drugs. He was with his friend in a taxi when some guys fired 4 shots at them. His friend was dead; he was lucky only injured.

So his son the drug dealer was hit but survived.

Went to the familiar mariscos stand across the intersection from restaurant La Perla.

The old man was not there. His son said he was was shot 4 times in a taxi somewhere in TJ. He's apparently not dead, in a hospital somewhere.

If he was in a taxi when shot, then he was targeted, not hit by stray bullets. Wondered what he could have done to get shot, besides serving some very tasty mariscos cocteles.

Can someone talk to his sons and brothers and give us some details?

[Sound7]

Columbia, Mexico & Russia have someing in common. Violence and good sex workers.

It looked like a lot of innocent people have recently been kidnapped and murdered in Mexico, including the 3 family members of the Marine who was killed in combat.

My Mexican friends, who live in the US, are all scared shitless of going into Mexico. They sure know of a lot more serious threats than we do.

The thugs who spread indiscrimate violence in Mexico have to be the stupidest, most cowardly and most evil assholes on earth. As long as those thugs continue to walk free, the world can say there is no civilization in Mexico.

It's time to stop making excuses for those stupid cowards and take collective actions to improve life for everyone.

[One Wing Low]

It looked like a lot of innocent people have recently been kidnapped and murdered in Mexico, including the 3 family members of the Marine who was killed in combat.

My Mexican friends, who live in the US, are all scared shitless of going into Mexico. They sure know of a lot more serious threats than we do.

The thugs who spread indiscrimate violence in Mexico have to be the stupidest, most cowardly and most evil assholes on earth. As long as those thugs continue to walk free, the world can say there is no civilization in Mexico.

It's time to stop making excuses for those stupid cowards and take collective actions to improve life for everyone.

http://www.isodos.com/index.php?q=aH...cnk%2FcGFnZT0y

The spasm of drug violence that has gripped Durango in the last few years has been fueled by a dispute over the territory.

The Sinaloa cartel and its leader, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, long controlled the area. But moving in from neighboring Coahuila are the Zetas, a ruthless gang that has splintered off the Gulf cartel in Mexico's northeastern border region.

One Southern California immigrant leader, who did not want to be identified for fear of retaliation, said people are routinely stopped at roadblocks run by well-armed men outside Santiago Papasquiaro, the town that serves as a gateway to the Durango sierra.

"They ask you, 'Which group are you from: ¿Los Zetas o Los Chapos?' " said the immigrant leader. "This happened to me twice. It's terrifying. The traditional Christmas trip home is over. We go now only when it's an emergency."

This violence has infected the once-peaceful lowland city of Gomez Palacio, which is both the state's wealthiest industrial hub and a distribution center for goods heading to the United States, a strategic point for the battling cartels.

In the last year, generalized criminality has set in across the city, encouraged by authorities' ineffectiveness, immigrants and residents say.

"It could be that a neighbor who doesn't have work calls up and extorts a neighbor," said Salvador Franco, president of the Gomez Palacio club in Southern California, who recently returned from the city. "They pretend to be traffickers or Zetas."

In the last year, many Gomez Palacio businesses have closed as their owners fled. Franco said he knew a family that received extortion and kidnapping threats and sold its two-bus transportation line and left for the United States.

"Things are serious," he said. "You have to be inside by 6 p.m. You can't be in a restaurant. You can't have a good car because you never know who's going to take it from you."

Martinez, the federation secretary, said extortion and kidnapping have become scourges of the city's middle-class business owners. He said a brother-in-law who is an architect moved his firm from an office to his house to avoid seeming wealthy and attracting attention. His brother ran a purified-water store for five years until receiving demands for weekly payment of protection money.

"Car lots, factories and restaurants have closed," Martinez said. "These are things you've never before seen in the state of Durango."
LA Times

Sounds to me like a botched hit. There have been many incidents of brutal slayings this year and, without exception, these were linked to the drug trade.

There have been very few (three come to mind) where innocents have been killed during these assassinations, or during running gun fights.

I guess we'll never know the whole story, or why a group of men were forced from there meal, taken to a remote location and shot for no "apparent" reason. The fact that the reason is not "apparent" can be somewhat telling.

Peace be upon them.

Country John

[Country John]

The killing of an El Monte civic leader on a visit to Durango shows how prevalent lawlessness has grown.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...tory?track=rss

Bobby Salcedo is El Monte's assistant principal and school board member, a nice, young, edcuated guy. He' was just trying to help his sister city. He even married a local chica. Why did the thugs kidnap and murder him?

It pissses me off that Mexican gangs would commit dumb crimes for no apparent gains, and that anyone could become victims to senseless and motiveless violence in Mexico.

It's dumb to tag walls and overpasses on freeways. It's even dumber to murder innocent people, spreading violence indiscrimately for no gains. In this respect, Sicilian Mafias are far more intelligent and principled than Mexican gangs.

Sounds to me like a botched hit. There have been many incidents of brutal slayings this year and, without exception, these were linked to the drug trade.

There have been very few (three come to mind) where innocents have been killed during these assassinations, or during running gun fights.

I guess we'll never know the whole story, or why a group of men were forced from there meal, taken to a remote location and shot for no "apparent" reason. The fact that the reason is not "apparent" can be somewhat telling.

Peace be upon them.

Country John

[Sound7]

A total of Six dead.

The killing of an El Monte civic leader on a visit to Durango shows how prevalent lawlessness has grown.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...tory?track=rss

Bobby Salcedo is El Monte's assistant principal and school board member, a nice, young, edcuated guy. He' was just trying to help his sister city. He even married a local chica. Why did the thugs kidnap and murder him?

It pissses me off that Mexican gangs would commit dumb crimes for no apparent gains, and that anyone could become victims to senseless and motiveless violence in Mexico.

It's dumb to tag walls and overpasses on freeways. It's even dumber to murder innocent people, spreading violence indiscrimately for no gains. In this respect, Sicilian Mafias are far more intelligent and principled than Mexican gangs.

[One Wing Low]

The killing of an El Monte civic leader on a visit to Durango shows how prevalent lawlessness has grown.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...tory?track=rss

Bobby Salcedo is El Monte's assistant principal and school board member, a nice, young, edcuated guy. He' was just trying to help his sister city. He even married a local chica. Why did the thugs kidnap and murder him?

It pissses me off that Mexican gangs would commit dumb crimes for no apparent gains, and that anyone could become victims to senseless and motiveless violence in Mexico.

It's dumb to tag walls and overpasses on freeways. It's even dumber to murder innocent people, spreading violence indiscrimately for no gains. In this respect, Sicilian Mafias are far more intelligent and principled than Mexican gangs.

[Sound7]

exception is not the rule but a discretion. a discretion may not be repeatable. stick to the rule of having a passport, passport card or sentry pass and let not the disreation create an distraction.

a sentry pass provide faster border crossing. cost is asscocated with sentry pass and in depth limitless evaluation process required and a personal interview. even for sentry pass holder the cbp fail to follow the rules and make an exception. stand in the regular line. sentry lane closed.

i do understand the fustration of dealing with cpb.

not quite, they are letting people back in with birth cert and some questions... saw it with my own peepers...

[Artisttyp]

The law says Passport or passport card are now required. I would not recommend to anyone going to Mexico to do so with out one of the two documents.

I am sure there have been few random cases where people have done so, but I would not advise due to the possible hassle it could turn in to when returning.

In addition the Mexican LE know these are required as well and could use this as an excuse to extort money from you if you are not carrying the proper identification.

I highly recommended playing by the rules carrying one of these on your person when traveling to Mexico.

I think this makes sense. I myself saw a few people get pulled aside or having in depth conversations with customs officers. Why put yourself through it ? Personally I think it holds up the line and it's annoying to everybody else.

Get your papers together before you go. Do it for yourself and your fellow mongers.

[FlapJacK]

not quite, they are letting people back in with birth cert and some questions... saw it with my own peepers...

the law says passport or passport card are now required. i would not recommend to anyone going to mexico to do so with out one of the two documents.

i am sure there have been few random cases where people have done so, but i would not advise due to the possible hassle it could turn in to when returning.

in addition the mexican le know these are required as well and could use this as an excuse to extort money from you if you are not carrying the proper identification.

i highly recommended playing by the rules carrying one of these on your person when traveling to mexico.