Reuters AlertNet Lite - U.S. says it helped in Mexico's $206 mln drug haul

Reuters AlertNet Full site

NEWSDESK

U.S. says it helped in Mexico's $206 mln drug haul

21 Mar 2007 04:23:11 GMT
Source: Reuters

MEXICO CITY, March 20 (Reuters) - The United States said on Tuesday its anti-drug agency helped Mexico uncover $206 million in narcotics money stacked inside a mansion last week.

Tony Garza, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, said Mexican police were acting in part on information from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration when they raided the house and found wads of U.S. bank notes in bulging cases and overflowing closets.

"The seizure and arrests underscore our two countries' deep commitment to fighting the drug kingpins who bring corruption and violence to communities on both sides of the border," Garza said in a statement.

Seven people were arrested after the raid in the swanky Lomas de Chapultepec district on Thursday. Police said the money belonged to a gang that smuggled chemicals used to make methamphetamine, a powerful stimulant.

Garza said it was the largest single seizure of drug cash in history.

The millions in bills were taken away in a van, guarded by two dozen cars. Police also seized six Mercedes-Benz vehicles, firearms, around 200,000 euros and machinery used to make pills, the attorney general's office said.

The raid was a success for Mexican President Felipe Calderon in a crackdown on drug cartels that he launched after taking office in December.

In January, Mexico extradited several suspected drug kingpins to the United States, including Osiel Cardenas, boss of the powerful Gulf cartel.

Mexican methamphetamine producers are muscling in on the U.S. market and so-called superlabs that mass produce the drug have relocated to Mexico, where precursor chemicals like pseudoephedrine are more easily available.

AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article Send comments

Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.

Reset map

• Mexico profile
· View map

MORE >>

NGO latest

• The UMCOR Hotline for March 20, 2007
UMCOR - USA

• Youth Wins the Gold!
Children Intl - USA

• Youth Wins the Gold!
Children Intl - USA

• AJWS Grantees Featured at United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
AJWS - USA

• ADRA Receives Highest Rating by Leading Charity Evaluator
ADRA - International

MORE >>

Latest news

• U.S. says it helped in Mexico's $206 mln drug haul

• Israel kills Palestinian in gunbattle - medics

• REFILE-Bill Gates backs immigration reform on Mexico trip

• Probe faults BP, U.S. agency in refinery blast

• Colombia opens probe into accord made with militias

MORE >>

Last updated:Wed Mar 21 04:28:10 2007