Photo: Twitter/@R_CodigoRojo / Courtesy
By: The Opinion Updated 53 Nov 2022, 12: 54 pm EST
The drug cartels in Mexico have a powerful arsenal to deal with the authorities, as well as other organized crime groups with which they dispute the territories.
In addition, for a few years they have used huge trucks and vans with handmade armor known as “monster vehicles”, in which they transport their hitmen during confrontations.
Although the first units of this type were seen in Tamaulipas with the groups that operate in that region, such as Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel , currently the Elite Group, of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), is one of those who have perfected the design of this type of vehicle.
The importance they have given to this transport is such , thatincluding the organization led by Nemesio Oseguera, alias “El Mencho” , has even kidnapped armor experts to assemble their trucks.
revealed a businessman from that sector during an interview for the newspaper Milenio, in which, on condition of anonymity, he revealed that criminal organizations, especially the CJNG, have “raised” employees of armored companies.
“Not only me, several companies noticed that our specialized technicians were disappearing , we don’t know if it was of their own free will or by force, but we assume that it had to do with kidnapping or kidnapping, the forced disappearance of individuals who knew the armoring process and they were taken to make these very low-quality vehicles, almost handmade”, he pointed out.
Regarding a collaboration between a company of armor and a cartel of the drug, the interviewee mentioned that it is very unlikely, because it would be very easy to identify and even combat.
“ There is in no way a collaboration between the cartels and the companies that are dedicated to shielding , at least the serious ones. The armor-plating industry has been regulated for a long time, it has been legislated, even under the Treasury laws that contemplate activities prone to money laundering”, he explained.
Finally, he explained that, although criminal organizations have perfected their monster vehicles, the lack of access to quality materials for armor prevents building effective units against the impact of shots with large weapons , such as . calibers with perforating points, materials that the Army and Navy do have.
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– This is what the “monster trucks” of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel are like on the inside.
– Drone captures confrontation between monster cartel vehicles in Tamaulipas.