Mexican drug cartels now extorting U.S. businesses

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In the past few weeks, several U.S. businesses have reported extortion attempts by members of drug cartels, something very commonplace in Mexico.

On October 3 , the El Paso Times reported that within a few days’ time, at least two El Paso businesses filed police reports after having received threats from a Zetas commander on behalf of the Gulf Cartel.

The unidentified business owner said the man demanded "$50,000 immediately, or the next time we'll see you, it will be at the funeral of a loved one.”

Another El Paso business owner who has been threatened, told the Associated Press: "There are only so many companies they can extort on the Mexican side. Sooner, or later, they will start operating here. After all, we're so close, right along the border."

Fearing for the safety of their families, the business owners wish to keep their identity concealed at this time.

El Paso police spokesman Javier Sambrano admitted that other businesses in town have recently received the same threats, though he would not say how many.

Just on the other side of the border, in Juarez, extortion has become big business for the drug cartels and the threats of violence are quite real. If a business owner refuses to pay the so-called protection fees demanded, the business will often be fire bombed.

Last month, the owner of a Juarez funeral home was killed and his building burned, after he failed to pay a protection fee to cartel enforcers.

The threat of extortion is so far-reaching in Mexico, it is displayed by a recent survey which reported that 120 of the 200 taxi drivers in the city of Chetumal, report to have been threatened with violence against their families if they refused to deliver drugs on behalf of the local drug cartel.

According to the U.S. Justice Department, Mexican drug cartels now operate in 231 U.S. cities. Given this reality, it was only a matter of time before the same problems which have crippled Mexico, began to take hold in this country.

With a largely unprotected border, and a Homeland Security secretary who seems oblivious to the threat posed to the American people, it is very easy for cartel enforcers to bring their reign of terror to U.S. business owners.

 

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