Criminal Justice
Reward Offered for 24 Alleged Mexican Drug Lords: Up to $7M Each
Posted Mar 24, 2009, 10:04 am CST
By Martha Neil
As escalating violence related to cross-border drug trafficking causes increasing concern in both Mexico and the United States, the government there is offering a record-breaking bounty of $2 million each for 24 alleged drug lords.
With an additional $5 million offered by the U.S. concerning some of the drug-trafficking suspects, that adds up to as much as $7 million each, reports the Associated Press.
However, given the obvious risks involved, it's uncertain whether there will be many takers, Stephen Meiners tells the news agency. He is a Latin America analyst for the U.S. intelligence service Stratfor.
Meanwhile, though, cartel leaders trying to eliminate rivals apparently are sometimes willing to inform on opponents even without the incentive of a monetary reward:
“So far that’s been enough incentive to phone in these tips,” he says. “I kind of doubt that the people making these calls would want to come forward to claim reward money.”
Earlier coverage:
New York Times: "Mexican Drug Cartel Violence Spills Over, Alarming US"
ABAJournal.com: "Top Cop Resigns Over Death Threats; Mexican Official’s Bodyguard is Slain"
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