Mexican cartel leaders arrested as security concerns grow

World Today

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto is refocusing his political emphasis from economic reform to improvements in law enforcement.
CCTV America’s Franc Contreras was in Mexico City for this story.

The Mexican government has arrested some of the most high-profile drug traffickers. The list includes the impressive February 2014 capture of former Sinaloa cartel leader, Joaquin El Chapo Guzman.

Mexico’s former Attorney General called it a joint effort, which leaned heavily on intelligence sharing from the United States.

Last week, Mexican security forces with help from U.S. intelligence, captured Servando Gomez Martinez who led the Knights Templar criminal organization.

Though the Mexican government has achieved important victories, Mexican Interior Minister Osorio Chong recognized that even big arrests like cartel leaders have not stopped drug violence.

Citizens organizations and business leaders said they still do not feel safe enough.

Mexico City security expert Alberto Islas said basic points are still missing from Mexico’s law enforcement system.

“I think this government has focused on disrupting the flow of arms but there is much more space for improvement to increase the investigation and have more efficient investigation in order to reduce the index of homicides that we have had in Mexico,” security expert Alberto Islas said.

Leading security experts estimated that each year Mexico’s illegal drug trade is worth between $35 and $40 billion.