Official: Tijuana massacre may be related to pot bust

The execution-style killing of 13 people at a drug rehabilitation center in Tijuana on Sunday night might be related to a record-breaking bust last week of 134 tons of marijuana in the same city, Baja California state Atty. Gen. Rommel Moreno said, according to reports (link in Spanish).

"That is also one of the elements we are following," Moreno said.

The attorney general provided no other details on a possible link as the investigation into the massacre continued in the northern border city across from San Diego. (Here's coverage in The Times on the burning of the seized marijuana on Wednesday.)

In recent weeks, Tijuana has been heralded as a success story in Mexico's drug war for its drop in violence over previous years, resulting in a slow return to more tourist-friendly days. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore spoke at a conference and festival in Tijuana earlier this month, but in the days after the event opened, "as if on cue," reported Richard Marosi in The Times, three headless bodies were hung from overpasses, among other killings.

The marijuana seized last week was bound for the United States, authorities said. Voters in California will decide next month whether to legalize the production and possession of small amounts of marijuana under Proposition 19, a proposal strongly opposed by Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

-- Daniel Hernandez in Mexico City

Photo: Soldiers stand before the burning of 134 tons of marijuana last week in Tijuana. Credit: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[shaggy]

really glue ? you think these cartels will just pony up tax money? Clueless pot heads.

[serving]

Thanks to Daniel Hernandez for giving the bad guys a picture with name tags. Wow, Dont care in the world who you sentence, just as long as you get paid. Thats our journalists for you.

[Nathan Ponce]

Why in the world would you publish a picture of Mexican soldiers without a mask and with their names visible on their army jackets. You are signing their death warrants.

[Chris]

How are we going to have something when people are fighting to ensure we have nothing .Look at Chicago even in small towns in Florida ,Alabama all over America people depend on drugs to survive ,grown men can not live off our petty wages.

[Chris]

Grown men cant work in these poor countries and live hell I am in my 30s and have never been able to find a job that will pay me a living wage.

[Mike]

The Obama administration refuses to acknowledge what is happening Mexico. Of course, they are also in denial about what is happening in America...

[amb]

It would be alot more lucrative for the cartels, not to mention good for Mexico's economy and the general well being of Mexico's and America's citizens if these cartels would just hammer out an agreement. Then folks on both sides of the border could begin to feel safe once again. I suspect that it's only a matter of time before the public outside the control of these cartels (who can't seem to run their business without bloodhed) begins to rise up against the cartels and their violence.

[glue]

Legalize it, so we personally won't have this black market and this bad behavior. We CAN control it. We CAN tax it, gain employment numbers, and profit off of this PLANT.

Making plants illegal is rather, weaksauce bro. It's 2010, time to get out of the 40s and 50s mindsets.

Alcohol is legal, and kills people everyday, meanwhile, pot does not kill anyone.

Let's not be a nation of hypocrites. We're better than that!

[Troy]

cover your face and show your name tag ?

[Mike in Seattle]

Please don't vote for drugs in CA. Otherwise we'll need to build a new security fence on the border of CA and OR. We like peace and tranquility - the kind not found in Mexico!

Mike

[juan]

Its sad whats going on in mexico. and no one douse nothing.inecent people are being killed.whats going on???

[Pete Geissendorf]

I agree with An American in Tijuana, there is a lot of misinformation, americans need to know that the drug war raging in Mexico is due to the fact that those criminal organizations are fighting for the territory that leads those drugs to the US wich is their primary customer, if we had no drug problem in the US they would not have this problem of ongoing violence down there. Another thing to learn is that those headless bodies hung from bridges are those of rival organizations not regular law abiding citizens. Just like he said just stay away from drugs and guns and we'll be safer than if we did the contrary. As far as I'm concerned I won't let fear get in the way and I'll keep enjoying Mexico like I always have. So adios amigos, gotta get some nice pina colada in Rosarito and another one with a nice fat big steak back when I get through Tijuana.

[American in Tijuana]

boycott Mexico? Mexico should boycott the U.S. it is the U.S.'s drug problems that cause all this nonsense. And the comment that MX has "unequalled terror and violence" is completely wrong. Look up murder statistics in the US-- look it up. In addition I live here and it is not a war zone, nor is it scary- I guarantee you all those guys owed the cartels money. These guys were DRUG ADDICTS!

The cartels are very specific to who they kill and don't kill. It is fight for kings and territory-- no different than gangs in other countries-- including the U.S.

Go live there and see that it is no different from Philly or L.A...or NYC- just stay out of the drugs and guns game-- it is that simple.

Oh and the heads hanging aren't innocent people-- they are members of competing cartels... I guess someone lost the fight- that is the life in that game.

All MX has to do is up their forensics -- the cartels would be exposed if they had a better investigation. However, without the forensics- they have still done a great job at lowing the crime rates and getting some of the cartel guys. I applaud their hard work.

[swf]

If we can boycott Arizona over a poorly written and explained law, why not boycott Mexico, currently in a state of unequalled terror and violence, until their government can show they are in control of their own country.

[Christian]

Jesus said, Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. (Matthew 7:12).

I know I would not want my child sent to jail with the sexual predators, or my aging parents to have their house confiscated and sold by the police, for growing a little marijuana.

We can change the world when we vote.

[Dr.Pikens]

Mexican President Felipe Calderon is just teasing his people when he allows them to have upto 6grams of pot for personal use. He's against marijuana legalization alright but not for the reasons appairent to you and I and certainly not because he's some saint.