3,000 Mexican soldiers, federal police fight drug crime near U.S. border in Tijuana

Tuesday, January 2nd 2007, 8:56 pm

By: News On 6

TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) _ Mexico is sending more than 3,000 soldiers and federal police to the violent border city of Tijuana to fight drug trafficking, the interior secretary said Tuesday, the latest offensive by President Felipe Calderon who has vowed to crack down on organized crime.

The force _ backed by 28 boats, 21 planes and nine helicopters _ will hunt down suspected drug gangs, patrol the coast and man checkpoints in a city that is a popular smuggling route for cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana entering the United States, Francisco Ramirez Acuna said in a news conference in Mexico City.

``We will carry out all the necessary actions to retake every region of national territory,'' Ramirez Acuna said. ``We will not allow any state to be a hostage of drug traffickers or organized crime.''

Tijuana Mayor Jorge Hank Rhon welcomed the additional forces, saying he would like the soldiers and federal police to work hand-in-hand with city police who are establishing random security checkpoints.

Tijuana, across the border from San Diego, is one of the world's busiest border crossings. Last year, there were more than 300 killings in the city, most of which stemmed from fighting between rival drug gangs, investigators say.

Calderon took office in December after winning a close election on a law and order platform.

Last month, he sent 7,000 soldiers and federal police to his native state of Michoacan, which has been plagued by execution-style killings and beheadings as rival drug gangs fight over marijuana plantations and smuggling routes.

The troops have arrested more than 50 people, including several suspected leaders of the feuding cartels, and seized large quantities of gold, bulletproof vests, military equipment and shirts with federal and municipal police logos.

Calderon is scheduled to make his first visit to the troops on Wednesday at a military base.

Calderon's predecessor, Vicente Fox, promised the ``mother of all battles'' against organized crime, sending in thousands of soldiers and federal police to some drug-embattled towns and arresting several major drug kingpins.

But the arrests appeared to spark more violence as gangsters battled to take over the smuggling routes of those killed or arrested.