- Title: MEXICO: Government official says record marijuana haul could surpass 105 tonnes
- Date: 20th October 2010
- Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (OCTOBER 19, 2010) (REUTERS) SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICIAL ALEJANDRO POIRE WALKING UP TO PODIUM REPORTER TAKING NOTES GENERAL VIEW OF POIRE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICIAL ALEJANDRO POIRE, SAYING: "As a preliminary result, because we are still counting the packages, but so far we have counted 15,000 marijuana packages, 5,000 more than estimated yesterday. We think the weight will surpass the 105 tonnes which were originally calculated. This is the largest seizure in the history of the country of packaged marijuana, prepared for its sale and distribution." GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM REPORTER TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICIAL ALEJANDRO POIRE, SAYING: "On one hand to guarantee that security forces, in accordance to the military code and discipline rules, may be punished for specific crimes such as rape, kidnapping and torture which are particularly harmful to society and according to international standard it is suggested they are handled in military courts." PHOTOGRAPHER POIRE LEAVING ROOM TIJUANA, MEXICO (OCTOBER 18, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SEIZED MARIJUANA /SOLDIER
- Embargoed: 4th November 2010 12:00
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- Location: Peru
- Country: Peru
- Reuters ID: LVALBMWH9SWZTVJNP4JB1HLIGBR
- Story Text: Senior National Security official Alejandro Poire says marijuana haul could surpass 105 tonnes after Mexican soldiers seized the drugs with a U.S. street value of more than $340 million on Monday (October 18) in Mexico's biggest-ever pot haul.
Heavily armed soldiers raided a series of homes in a poor suburb of Tijuana, across the border from San Diego, California, and came under fire at least once as they took the drugs, also arresting 11 suspected traffickers.
Troops found the narcotics wrapped in 15,000 brown and silver packages in houses and a parked truck. The marijuana was brought together from across Mexico over several months and bound for the United States.
"As a preliminary result, because we are still counting the packages, but so far we have counted 15,000 marijuana packages, 5,000 more than estimated yesterday. We think the weight will surpass the 105 tonnes which were originally calculated. This is the largest seizure in the history of the country of packaged marijuana, prepared for its sale and distribution," said Poire.
The marijuana was carefully wrapped and labeled with signs and logos for a series of specific distributors in the United States.
When questioned about offenses by the military, he said those responsible would need to face a military court of law.
"On one hand to guarantee that security forces, in accordance to the military code and discipline rules, may be punished for specific crimes such as rape, kidnapping and torture which are particularly harmful to society and according to international standard it is suggested they are handled in military courts," added Poire.
The bust is good news for President Felipe Calderon, who has staked his reputation on beating back powerful drug cartels in a military-led campaign he launched in December 2006.
Calderon is under pressure to show his drug war is working as the death toll over the past four years climbs to nearly 30,000 people, putting Washington and foreign investors on edge and provoking alarm among many Mexicans.
Mexican cartels grown extremely powerful over the past decade, while violence sparked by cartel rivalries has spread beyond long-troubled cities such as Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez to formerly peaceful places including the wealthy industrial city of Monterrey and the Caribbean resort of Cancun.
Mexico is one of the world's top marijuana producers, exporting about 7,000 tonnes of the drug a year. Marijuana and home-grown heroin together generate more than $10 billion in exports for the cartels every year, according to private estimates. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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