New Danger on Mexican Border

I wrote a piece not long ago about the escalating violence in Mexico. Now there has been another rather shocking development to report (as if 34,000 casualties since 2006 were not enough).

It seems the increasing warfare (between rival cartels and between the cartels and the government) has pushed the cartels to become innovative and start building their own monster trucks, complete with 1 inch thick armor and machine gun turrets.

Mexican officials say the custom-made armored trucks are used by drug traffickers to transport drugs headed for the United States and weapons back to Mexico. The bulletproof tanks also are used as weapons of war in clashes between rival drug cartels.

These narco-tanks are designed to serve several purposes. Built on a three-axle truck bed, they're fitted with swiveling turrets to shoot in any direction. A reinforced steel battering ram is welded to the front of the vehicle to destroy vehicles and demolish walls. One-inch-thick steel plating is meant to protect occupants from deadly gunfire and grenade blasts.

Two of these armored trucks were seized by the Mexican army in Tamaulipas, a Gulf Coast state just south of Texas. Two more were in the process of being built and 23 big-rig trucks were apparently in line for future "monster" projects.

A look inside these "monster" trucks is very revealing. They have hatches and peepholes for snipers. Their spacious interiors can fit as many as 20 armed men and they are coated with polyurethane for insulation and to reduce noise. They also have air conditioner ducts as well as benches and bars for occupants to hold onto.

The inch-thick steel plating, according to the military spokesman, can withstand weapons up to 50 calibers and grenade explosions.

Oh yes, you read that right, built to withstand grenade explosions. This thing below our southern border is really getting out of control. On top of that thought, there is no substantial U.S. military presence on the U.S.-Mexico border and there won't be any military presence once National Guard troops currently stationed in the area depart at the end of June, leaving the border wide open for violent cartels with heavy equipment and billions of dollars to operate on. Categorizing Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations would make it easier for the U.S. government to track cartel finances and king pin players, giving authorities the ability to better understand what they're up against.

I want you to remember too that Hezbollah has taken up residence in Tijuana and is supplying the Cartels with weapons, explosives and training while silently trying to radicalize Mexico's Muslim population. I do not know if these armored trucks are a result of that alliance, but one has to wonder how far the Obama Administration is going to allow this dangerous situation to develop. Are we going to have these trucks start crossing the border to drop off drugs and pick up cash and weapons? If so, what exactly will our Border Patrol be expected to do about it? They are simply not equipped ot trained to fight armored cars and grenades.

========================

Oh, and to my friends over in the beautiful islands of Hawaii

Happy King Kamehameha Day!

 

Live Long and Prosper......