Mexico Drug War: Facts About 'Los Zetas' Drug Cartel (PHOTOS)

Mexico's highly feared Zetas drug cartel finds itself back in the international headlines once again, after an alleged regional head was arrested in connection with the murder of Jaime Zapata, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, which took place last month.

As the New York Times is reporting, navy spokesman José Luis Vergara said the suspect, Sergio Antonio Mora, controlled the Zeta organization in the state of San Luis Potosí, where the attack took place.

Unfortunately, the lethal reputation of "Los Zetas" doesn't stop with Zapata's death, as members have previously been blamed for some of the most gruesome atrocities in Mexico's drug war, including the brutal slaying of 72 migrants last August.

View key facts about Mexico's Zetas here. All captions courtesy of Reuters.

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In the late 1990s, about 40 soldiers deserted the Mexican army special forces to work as muscle for the Gulf Cartel. After the cartel's leader was arrested, they branched out into their own, independent operation.

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In the late 1990s, about 40 soldiers deserted the Mexican army special forces to work as muscle for the Gulf Cartel. After the cartel's leader was arrested, they branched out into their own, independent operation.

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Comments

[mstex]

08:09 PM on 04/17/2011

It is a shame that a Country can be allowed to continue with this much violence all because of drugs... They are ready to blame the United States. Not right. If they would quit bringing the drugs, then people would quit doing the drugs. Mexico is such a beautiful Country, yet know one can enjoy it because of this violence. It is a shame that one would let drugs control their lives in this manner. Call a truce! Stop this behavior and let us all get along and enjoy this World together!!! God has put us all here for a reason and killing one another is not the answer!!!

[HotelDrama]

04:20 AM on 03/04/2011

One thing this article doesn't point out is that many of the high ranking people of this cartel were trained in the US at the School of the Americas.

[KingofDetroit]

03:44 PM on 03/03/2011

It's only a matter of time before Mexico descends into open civil war. The Cartels against the Mexican Federal Gov't.

[Alva Vargas]

06:13 PM on 03/04/2011

How about the Mexican government stepping up instead of leaving all this mess on our doorstep?

[Robearbeach]

05:50 PM on 04/27/2011

Personally, I don't see the difference between what's happening now and "open civil war."

In 2010 alone, Mexico reports 15,273 drug related murders. The total number of U.S. soldiers killed in the entire 10 years we've been in Afghanistan and Iraq, COMBINED, is 5,885.

15,273 killings in one year alone seems like pretty much an open civil war to me.

[KBES]

01:11 PM on 03/03/2011

The reason we have Drug Cartels and Illegal Drug Trade is because they are illegal. Change it to legal and you'll take the profit out of drugs. Without profit you take away one part of the equation.

[European1919]

01:26 PM on 03/03/2011

AND you can ensure good quality AND the govt can make a packet on taxes (with the gear still being cheaper than the black market prices peeps are paying now).

[KBES]

01:45 PM on 03/03/2011

F and F European1919. There is an organization called NORML that has been fighting the legalization war for decades. The billions of tax dollars spent on this war has got to stop. It hasn't made the illegal use any less and has put a huge burden on our legal system too.
http://norml.org/index.cfm

[Alva Vargas]

06:09 PM on 03/03/2011

I think you've smoked one joint too many!

[Chivas]

12:53 PM on 03/03/2011

We trained them and then, they desserted the Army and joined the drug cartels. They were trained at the infamous School of the Americas, just as we have trained many other murderers, dictators and their cadre in Latin America. BTW Manuel Noriega was a trainee, too. Close the School of the Americas. Thousands tortured and murdered by their alumni...and going!

[Alva Vargas]

06:15 PM on 03/03/2011

Don't blame America for trying to crank out warriors. These murderers were already bad apples when they joined unfortunately. I don't believe anyone can make you do anything that is against your principles or for what you stand for unless you are very weak and gullible.

[Chivas]

11:01 PM on 03/03/2011

..or have a gun pointed to your head!

[Robearbeach]

06:03 PM on 04/27/2011

The problem isn't the existence of the school. The problem is that we are training soldiers for governments that we know are corrupt and when they go home we know that they will join the corruption if they weren't already corrupt.

[consumetheconsumer]

11:45 AM on 03/03/2011

former army special forces . . . so did the US military train them . . .?

[psychoticdream]

12:05 PM on 03/03/2011

sort of yes, you'd be surprised how many foreign soldiers are trained by US forces.

there's so much myth and rumors around this cartel and biggest one is that they were purposely planted into the drug culture by their military in order to bring the different cartels into war (which actually happened as some started going at each other and even some cartels promised to help the mexican gov fight the zetas) its like something out of a tom clancy novel. Naturally it's very unlikely that they were planted by the military but it is known that they were originally well trained soldiers.

considering how badly paid a lot of people in government or military tend to be its no wonder a lot of them are easily corrupted and hired by drug cartels.
politicians are the worst since they can make it easier for some of the cartels to get away with their crimes. sometimes though just blaming politicians or linking them to cartels is an opposition's move to get an opponent out of the political race. http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/05/26/94854/mexico-links-top-state-politician.html

[drjasonmd]

01:33 PM on 03/03/2011

Yep.

[relikx]

10:58 AM on 03/03/2011

When the Zeta underlings mistakenly killed that American couple on Falcon Lake, those responsible were "taken care of" by the cartel. Most likely same goes with the ICE killing assuming it was an accident. They are brutal and can be careless but they aren't stupid.

[ispeedtoo]

10:36 AM on 03/03/2011

Zetas were created by the USA!
Look it up!

US trained Zetas and Kaibiles, killers and death squads worldwide

Guatemalan Kaibiles, notorious death squads trained by US Special Forces -- known for disemboweling pregnant Mayan women in Guatemala and Chiapas at Acteal -- also have been working for the cartels. Both Zetas and Kaibiles have been hired as mercenaries in Iraq. Kaibiles were even hired as UN Peacekeepers in the Congo. So-called Peacekeepers have been killing and raping in Haiti, the Congo and Bosnia. (Photo Kaibil in Congo /Militaryphotos.net)

[OntheBorder]

01:14 PM on 03/03/2011

sorry to disappoint, but most countries export military know how.

Brits, Cuba (yes even the beloved Castro), China, US, The Sov Bloc to name a few.

[drjasonmd]

01:36 PM on 03/03/2011

But only one country has set up a school that has trained 11 Latin American dictators and a narco cartel (and is still in business).

[Kevin Atlanta]

08:28 AM on 03/03/2011

Judge Jim Gray says it all and says it best:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6t1EM4Onao&feature=related

There is absolutely no difference between the Zetas and what Saint Ronnie and Oliver North did in South Central Los Angeles in building the crack cocaine epidemic to support their illegal Contra War while dear Nancy was howling "just say no."

End the damned failed prohibition and restore sanity.

[Berettasskeeter]

08:32 AM on 03/03/2011

Funny, after being debunked by numerous agencies and newspapers, you want to resurrect it. Have fun.
Semper fi

[Kevin Atlanta]

08:38 AM on 03/03/2011

How Rovian!
Please provide links or citations to the "debunking."

*Crickets*

This kind of Tokyo Rove tactic is very Faux Spews and disgusting.

End the damned failed prohibition.

[sensimilla]

01:02 PM on 03/03/2011

what was debunked? It's a fact that ronnie raygun and the ciA imported tons of cocaine into the US to support the contras. Not sure what "agencies and newspapers" you are looking at..faux?

[Joseph Scott]

11:34 AM on 03/03/2011

I have to agree.....the black community had been screaming for years that they were 'targeted' and aided in their destruction by the c.i...a.
People just clucked.
Then, it turned out to be true.
The link between the Iran/Contra shipments, and using drug cartel planes to make the deals, was established...linking the c.iii.a. with drug runners for the first time with solid evidence.

Just a wee bit embarrassing.

[Edward Standley]

05:27 AM on 03/03/2011

We can choose to have either a drug problem or a drug/violence/corruption/overcrowded prisons problem.

[dtairtime]

11:21 AM on 03/03/2011

Exactly!

And the only reason the gangs are able to function is due to the illegality of drugs huge profits are realized.

Without the profits most of the gangs and their activities would cease to exist.

[lp4ju]

05:13 AM on 03/03/2011

As someone with Mexican heritage it saddens me to see how such ruthless people are turning the country into such a violent place....I know not all of Mexico is bad but it seems like its slowly spreeding ...

[Wanderland]

10:41 AM on 03/03/2011

When huge profits are made available for criminals, criminals will become wealthy and powerful. No nationality is immune.

[cliffhammond]

03:35 AM on 03/03/2011

Well, they're not about to say that the original Zetas had been trained at the School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Georgia, are they?

[Berettasskeeter]

08:32 AM on 03/03/2011

Is it relevent?
Semper fi

[drjasonmd]

12:07 PM on 03/03/2011

Yes.

[Dham4201]

02:43 AM on 03/03/2011

why are they all wearing swine flu masks in #6? and that is a pretty funny one in #1, straddling your rifle while linking arms with the prisoner..lol

[drjasonmd]

12:08 PM on 03/03/2011

Because it was during the swine flu.

[pumpokol]

10:37 PM on 03/02/2011

And view the complete, raw story here:
http://www.borderlandbeat.com/