Mexican Military Cracks Down in Border Areas

On January 4, 2007 newly installed president Felipe Calderon ordered 3300 troops to disarm Tijuana police and assume law enforcement activities in the border areas of Baja California. This is in response to a continued problem with drug cartel activity in the area. The focus of the military will be interdiction of drug transports to the United States.

According to the Chicago Sun Time the Tijuana force consists of 2,620 soldiers, 162 marines and 510 federal police, and will be backed by 28 boats, 21 planes and nine helicopters.

''We will carry out all the necessary actions to retake every region of national territory,'' Mexican Interior Secretary Francisco Ramirez Acuna said Tuesday. ''We will not allow any state to be a hostage of drug traffickers or organized crime.''

Since the arrest and killing of the Arellano Felix brothers in 2002 and the arrest of other members of the family since that time, there has been a power vacuum that has lead to increase drug traffic violence.

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Most of the violence has been the result of gang warfare and most recently has been directed at members of the police or other drug enforcement officials in the border areas. Beheadings of police have occurred in Tijuana, Rosarito and Mexicali in Baja California and eastward in other Mexican states as a result. In 2006 there was an attempt on the life of the head of the Federal Police in Baja Sur

In 2005 the US government issued a statement regarding travel in these areas. The State Department Statement is not as strong as a Travel Warning and is specifically aimed at these border areas. The current State Department Statement expires in March and may be renewed.

Last year there was also an incident of drug violence in Acapulco, when the heads of several police officers were discarded outside a police station. There was one incident that involved an American in Tijuana. The family of the man killed claim he was not involved in drug trafficking, while the Mexican officials claim he was. The American had a previous arrest in the United States for possession, press reports claimed.

Since the disarming of the Tijuana police several press reports have stated that the traffickers are making continuous threats against the police on the police radio frequency.

So, what does this mean for the American Traveler or foreign nationals living in Mexico?
At this point, virtually nothing. When driving north on 1/4/07 I observed increased scrutiny at all the military checkpoints northbound in Baja California (Norte, for those who don’t know the difference) while casual searches were still the norm in Baja Sur. I would expect, since the deployment was underway at that time, that the military presence at these checkpoints and the degree of searches will increase. It does not mean there is a state of lawlessness in Mexico, in fact quite the contrary. I see this as a clear effort by the new president to make good on his campaign promises to diminish the influence of the drug cartels in Mexico.

Travelers should continue doing the common sense things to avoid trouble. Buying drugs in Mexico, particularly in the border areas for a little ‘vacation recreation’ has always been a stupid idea. Today, the buyer would be exposed to even greater danger of either arrest or involvement in a negative situation as both the narcos and the enforcement officials are under greater pressure.
 

Don’t drink and drive, checkpoints have the authority to nab you for that too.

Finally, if you ARE stopped by Tijuana police, cooperate. Even the most honest cops are going to be cranky with the increased pressure.

If you are planning a vacation get-away to Baja I would NOT consider this a reason to change your plans. In a quick check of statistics I found on the internet you are still more likely to be shot as a tourist in Washington D.C., Miami, or any other large metropolitan area.

Use your head, stay clean and travel safely – Baja California and Baja California Sur are still a wonderful and magical place to enjoy. With any luck, this latest effort will make them even safer and more enjoyable.

Tomas