Mexico seizes 105-Tons Of Marijuana In Tijuana; Huge Bust As Prop 19 Looms In U.S.

OFF THE WIRE
Mexican authorities seized a huge amount of marijuana Monday in the border city of Tijuana, one of the largest drug busts in years for Mexico.

Soldiers and police officers seized 105-tons of marijuana during a series of pre-dawn raids in three Tijuana neighborhoods. Before the raids a shootout occured between security forces and gunmen in a convoy of vehicles, where 11 people were arrested.

“The seizure of these drugs is without precedent in the country,” General Alfonso Duarte told reporters, according to the BBC. The bags are still being counted and the exact figure of the drugs confiscated could increase, Duarte added.

Along with the 10,000 packages of marijuana, authorities also seized trailers, trucks and two large fire arms.

The Mexican street value of the seized marijuana is suspected to be around $335 million dollars, with the price doubling or tripling in the United States.

The seizure comes amidst a growing debate in Mexico over the legalization of marijuana in the U.S. state of California and in Mexico itself. Mexican President Felipe Calderón opposes the Proposition 19 measure up for vote in two weeks, while other influential Mexicans – including former President Vicente Fox – are advocating legalization.

Calderó n has called for a debate on the subject.

Tijuana, along with other Mexican cities bordering the U.S., has taken much of the brunt of the conflict between the Mexican government and the country’s drug cartels. Since Calderón launched a crackdown in 2006, deploying 50,000 troops, there have been some 28,000 deaths related to the violence.

Video:
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http://latindispatch.com/2010/10/19/mexico-seizes-105-tons-of-marijuana-in-tijuana-huge-bust-as-prop-19-looms-in-u-s/