Former Mexican mayor found beaten to death

[scpanther22]

Pretty sad story. Hate that her daughter had to see it.

Courageous Mexican mayor Maria Santos Gorrostieta cheated death twice when she survived assassination attempts by druglords — but three times was too much.

Gorrostieta, dubbed a “heroine of the 21st century” for her refusal to be cowed by the ruthless cartels that rule much of Mexico, was kidnapped in broad daylight this month after leaving her home in the town of Morelia.

She was driving her daughter to school when thugs in another vehicle blocked her white van. They pulled her out and began kicking and beating her in front of passers-by.

The 36-year-old mother begged the men to spare her girl and appeared to get into the thugs’ vehicle voluntarily, witnesses said.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/fearless_mexican_mayor_hero_to_the_v6h3NXvaK1Lk2eTLJMkndP?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=International

[Ivan The Awesome]

Rest In Peace. Saddens me to read and hear about this in the news, especially since I live here. But she was brave, probably had more balls than all those other mayors that turn the blind eye and let these rats and drug lords come in and do as they please.

There was another bit of news about a beauty queen that was killed in a battle between cartels and police. Unfortunately she was meddling with them as well. But sometimes these beautiful women don't have a choice and have to go with them. It's either that or death. So so sad.

[Hawk]

I don't want to spin this into the tinderbox...but I truly think the only way Mexico gets it's poo together is the American military needs to step in. The Mexican forces, police and military will never be strong enough to stop these drug lords on their own.

I'm also pretty confident that there are many many Americans that are getting a huge cut of the profits of the drug trade....I have a hard time believing they wouldn't have already stepped in otherwise.

[Ivan The Awesome]

I don't want to spin this into the tinderbox...but I truly think the only way Mexico gets it's poo together is the American military needs to step in. The Mexican forces, police and military will never be strong enough to stop these drug lords on their own.

I'm also pretty confident that there are many many Americans that are getting a huge cut of the profits of the drug trade....I have a hard time believing they wouldn't have already stepped in otherwise.

It's not a question of strength. It's a question of anyone being be able to be bought or intimidated. Corruption is the easy way out and unfortunately a lot of these small towns decide to go the easy route.

Some military, police and special forces have been bought and are under contract to certain cartels. It's as simple as corruption. Unfortunately that won't be remedied any time soon.

[Floppin]

You can blame the US "war on drugs" for the Mexican drug cartel problem.

[Panthers Nation]

It's not a question of strength. It's a question of anyone being be able to be bought or intimidated. Corruption is the easy way out and unfortunately a lot of these small towns decide to go the easy route.

Some military, police and special forces have been bought and are under contract to certain cartels. It's as simple as corruption. Unfortunately that won't be remedied any time soon.

Why don't they just find the drug leader and bring him down,or he could still call shots while in prison?

[Floppin]

I don't want to spin this into the tinderbox...but I truly think the only way Mexico gets it's poo together is the American military needs to step in. The Mexican forces, police and military will never be strong enough to stop these drug lords on their own.

I'm also pretty confident that there are many many Americans that are getting a huge cut of the profits of the drug trade....I have a hard time believing they wouldn't have already stepped in otherwise.

Bank of America is the worst culprit and has a ridiculously incestuous relationship with the Mexican drug cartels.

Search the DOJ database for money laundering cases surrounding our major banking chains.Wachovia was fined a measly 50million dollars a few years back after being found guilty of laundering 500billion dollars of cartel drug money.

[Floppin]

As part of the Agreement filed today, Wachovia has agreed to forfeit $110 million to the United States, which represents proceeds of illegal narcotics sales that were laundered through Wachovia. FinCEN also assessed a $110 million Civil money Penalty that is deemed satisfied by the forfeiture to the U.S. government, for serious and systemic BSA violations. Moreover, pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and the OCC’s separate Cease and Desist and Civil money Penalty Orders, Wachovia has agreed to pay an additional $50 million fine to the U.S. Treasury. The total sum of $160 million is due within five days from the date of the Agreement.

In light of Wachovia’s willingness to acknowledge responsibility for its actions and omissions, its cooperation and remedial actions to date, and its promised continued cooperation and remedial actions in the future, the government has agreed to defer prosecution of the criminal charge in the information for 12 months. If Wachovia fully complies with its obligations under the Agreement, the U.S. agrees to dismiss the criminal information at the end of the 12 months. Earlier today, the Agreement was accepted in federal court in Miami by U.S. District Judge Joan A. Lenard.

According to the documents filed with the court, Wachovia was aware, as early as 1996 and through 2004, of the high risk that drug money was being of laundered through the CDCs. Wachovia was also aware that other U.S. banks had stopped doing business with the CDCs because of these concerns. Wachovia, however, continued to expand its business with the CDCs. Indeed, from at least May 2004 through December 2007, Wachovia provided correspondent banking services to various Mexican CDCs, including wire transfer, bulk cash, and pouch and remote deposit capture services, among others.

According to the documents, Wachovia allowed CDCs to wire transfer funds through accounts at Wachovia to recipients throughout the world. Wachovia also offered a “bulk cash” service to CDCs, through which the CDCs collected large sums of dollars that would be physically transported to the United States for deposit. In addition, Wachovia offered a “pouch” deposit service and later, a “remote deposit capture” (“RDC”) service, which allowed the CDCs to deposit at Wachovia items drawn on U.S. banks, including checks and traveler's checks, presented by their Mexican customers. According to the documents filed today, Wachovia did not have an effective anti-money laundering policy or procedure to monitor these transactions to detect and report potential money laundering activity, as required by the BSA. As a result, from May 1, 2004 through May 31, 2007, at least $373 billion in wire transfers were made from the CDCs to Wachovia accounts; more than $4 billion in bulk cash was transported from the CDCs in Mexico to accounts at Wachovia; and approximately $47 billion was deposited at Wachovia accounts through the RDC service. These monies included millions of dollars that were subsequently used to purchase airplanes for narcotics trafficking operations. Ultimately, more than 20,000 kilograms of cocaine were seized from these airplanes.

It used to be found here

http://www.justice.gov/dea/pubs/pressrel/pr031710.html

It's since been moved or expired... I had to search one of my old posts in the TB to find it.

It's in this thread.

[panthers5158]

US government & banking branches won't let anyone stop the drug cartel. Too much money to be made. Sad but true.

[Guest]

The company I work for has an office in Monterrey. They are closing it because the cost to conduct work safely (ie with armed security) is more than clients are willing to pay, and its simply too dangerous for the employees there.