I’ve heard plenty of horror stories of stuff being stolen in Mexico. Cartels block the road, then run you off the road, or even worse, they kill you. This is done just to steal your freight to sell on the black market, which may or may not have a larger gross domestic product (GDP) than legitimate sales in the country. Apparently, one cartel got a big sniff of some high, and I mean HIGH, value freight. And of course, they went shopping like they were at Costco.
“There is a growing lack of safety, and this is a sign of what is happening in the country and it requires that authorities take action,”
José Medina Mora, president of the Mexican Employers Federation
Grand Theft: Everything but the kitchen sink
On June 5, at some unknown time, “organized crime” (aka the Jalisco Cartel), are suspected by prosecutors of breaking into the Port of Manzanillo in Colima. About 10 members of the cartel entered a supposedly secure area and subdued the workers. Then they took their sweet time checking every container there and hand-picking what they wanted.
Televisions, gold ore, silver ore, and who knows what other high value freight was stolen. They had all the time in the world. Police couldn’t respond to the calls due to “public protests” regarding kidnapped citizens. Also, Colima has had two officers shot and killed by the cartel, so morale is low.
As someone who has had plenty of trips to Laredo and El Paso under his belt, I know what the cartel can do if they want to. They will take what they want when they want it. And don’t get me started on the “lobbying” done to keep governments out of the way.
