Mexican cartels are becoming increasingly confrontational in encounters with law enforcement officers.
Assaults on Law Enforcement Officers
Since 2009, there have been 94 incidents in which shots were fired at 124 law enforcement officers in Texas.
Caltrops
Since 2008, there have been 96 caltrop incidents, where cartel operatives throw tire-deflation spikes at the vehicles of law enforcement officers in order to evade arrest.
These spikes have damaged and disabled law enforcement and civilian vehicles.
The 82nd Legislature prohibited the use of caltrops. Using a caltrop or other tire deflation device against an officer while the actor is in flight is now a third degree felony.
Pursuits
Since 2010, agencies participating in Operation Border Star have reported 2,540 pursuits. Many of these were smuggling-related pursuits, where law enforcement officers were engaged in high speed chases as smuggling suspects try to evade arrest. The cartels have also used blocking and chase vehicles to protect drug loads.
(Nighttime)
DPS helicopter assists the Border Patrol and local law enforcement with the search for suspects that are on foot hiding in a field. DPS is able to locate a body utilizing the thermal imager and direct officers on the ground to the correct spot in the field where officers enter and are able to take the suspect into custody. It is discovered that the suspect had a small child with him; child is recovered safely.
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(Nighttime)
DPS helicopter conducting surveillance on three small buildings where two subjects are walking close to the buildings trying to conceal themselves. The two subjects then make a run for it and hide under some trees before running to the river and jumping in. The subjects are sitting in the water about four feet from the bank and DPS is able to direct the Border Patrol officers on the ground to the location where the two subjects are recovered from the water and taken into custody.
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DPS Helicopter follows a pursuit, bailout and eventual apprehension of suspect. The driver of the suspect vehicle runs multiple red lights and endangers other vehicles on the road. The suspect eventually strikes a tree in a brushy field and bails out on foot. The DPS helicopter is able to coordinate with dispatch and officers on the ground to successfully take the suspect into custody.
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Note that not all of these pursuits are smuggling related. However, since 2008, the Texas Highway Patrol has engaged in 1,610 pursuits in Operation Border Star counties, accounting for 46.4 percent of all Texas Highway Patrol pursuits in the state.
Additional Videos
(Daytime)
DPS helicopter flies to support a recovery operation where a truck is found abandoned under a tree concealed with camouflage.
A truck carrying a boat with seven or eight subjects covering their faces from the camera is spotted; the truck stops and a total of 12 subjects exit to recover a load that was hidden in the brush and trees. From this location the truck proceeds to another location close to the river where more bundles are recovered from a small building.
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Splashdowns
Since 2009, there have been 101 cartel-related splashdowns, where drug smugglers drive their vehicle into the river in order to evade law enforcement officers, while boat retrieval teams enter the river from Mexico to recover the drug loads. In addition to the actual splashdown itself, criminals that engage in splashdowns commit multiple offenses, such as drug trafficking, vehicle flight, and reckless driving. Some of these criminals also use dangerous weapons as they flee from law enforcement and attempt to destroy evidence.
(Nighttime)
DPS Helicopter follows a pursuit where local law enforcement places spikes on the road in attempt to stop the suspect vehicle; the vehicle avoids the spikes by taking alternate dirt road that leads to the river. The suspect vehicle then has sparks fly from its rear to divert law enforcement prior to splashdown in the river. Waiting for the vehicle is a raft in the water to retrieve the drug load and take it back across the river to the approximately 24 people and five vehicles.
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(Daytime)
DPS Helicopter follows pursuit of suspect vehicle by local PD through a residential area. Suspect vehicle turns off onto dirt road en route to river; load of drugs is covered by a large tarp. The suspect vehicle then avoids the Border Patrol Unit by taking an alternate road and splashes down into the river where three rafts are waiting to transport the load back to Mexico.
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Recruitment of Juveniles
Mexican cartels recruit Texas youth to traffic drugs across the border. The Texas border region represents 9.7% of the state’s population, yet since 2009 this region has accounted for 19.9% of the state’s juvenile felony drug referrals and 18.5% of the state’s juvenile felony gang referrals.
In October 2011, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) apprehended a 12-year-old boy in a border county driving a stolen pickup truck containing more than 800 pounds of marijuana.
DPS Press Release regarding cartels recruiting children.
Cartel members arrested in Texas
Major multi-agency investigations have resulted in the arrest of hundreds of Mexican cartel members and associates who operated in Texas. Since 2007, these arrests have included at least 138 from the Gulf Cartel, 9 from the Juarez Cartel, 165 from La Familia Michoacana, 109 from Los Zetas, 3 from the Sinaloa Cartel, and 1 from the Knights Templar Cartel.
Cartel Related Murders in Texas
Since 2007, there have been 40 incidents involving 43 homicide victims in Texas related to cartel criminal activity. The assessment of whether a crime was related to the Mexican cartels is based upon the best available information from ongoing investigations, confidential informants and intelligence reporting.
Crimes linked to the cartels will be added or in some instances reduced based upon new information to indicate that it was or was not related to the Mexican cartels.
Details on cartel related murders in Texas:
- Date: 16 MAR 2015
Location:South Padre Island, TX
Description: : One victim; case is open and still under investigation.
- Date: 03 AUG 2014
Location:Sebastian, TX
Description: One victim; case is open and still under investigation.
- Date: 14 JUL 2014
Location: Edinburg, TX
Description: One victim; case is open and still under investigation.
- Date: 23 SEP 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Description: One victim; case is open and still under investigation.
- Date: 22 MAY 2013
Location: Southlake, TX
Description: One victim; case is open and still under investigation.
- Date: 09 DEC 2012
Location: Ft. Hancock, TX
Description: One victim; case is open and still under investigation.
- Date: 18 JUL 2012
Location: Brownsville, TX
Description: One victim; case is open and still under investigation.
- Date: 28 MAY 2011
Location: McAllen, TX
Description: One victim; case is open and still under investigation.
- Date: 19 APR 2011
Location: Palmview, TX
Description: One male victim was shot from behind.
- Date: 12 APR 2011
Location: Edinburg, TX
Description: One victim was shot in the head and chest.
- Date: 01 JAN 2011
Location: Laredo, TX
Description: One victim was shot.
- Date: 10 DEC 2010
Location: Laredo, TX
Description: One victim was shot and burnt inside a vehicle.
- Date: 10 DEC 2010
Location: El Paso, TX
Description: One victim was shot multiple times.
- Date: 15 NOV 2010
Location: Mission, TX
Description: One victim was shot multiple times in the head.
- Date: 30 SEPT 2010
Location: Brownsville, TX
Description: Two male victims were shot to death in a pickup truck with Mexican license plates that was riddled with bullets.
- Date: 30 SEPT 2010
Location: Zapata Co, TX
Description: One victim; case is open and still under investigation.
- Date: 14 SEPT 2010
Location: Laredo, TX
Description: One victim was shot.
- Date: 13 SEPT 2010
Location: San Marcos, TX
Description: One victim was killed and wrapped in plastic.
- Date: 29 AUG 2010
Location: Presidio, TX
Description: One male victim’s body was found on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande River bound at the hands and feet and with a gunshot wound in the head.
- Date: 26 AUG 2010
Location: Edinburg, TX
Description: One male victim was beaten, shot, and buried under concrete.
- Date: 25 AUG 2010
Location: Fabens, TX
Description:One male victim was shot to death.
- Date: 25 AUG 2010
Location: Dallas, TX
Description: One male victim was shot multiple times and found in a burning vehicle.
- Date: 20 JUL 2010
Location: Laredo, TX
Description: One victim was shot multiple times and found in his vehicle.
- Date: 19 JULY 2010
Location: Laredo, TX
Description: One male victim died after being shot multiple times.
- Date: 01 JUL 2010
Location: Roma, TX
Description: One victim was shot multiple times.
- Date: 11 JUNE 2010
Location: Zapata Co, TX
Description:One male victim was killed.
- Date: 07 JUNE 2010
Location: Dallas, TX
Description: One male victim’s remains were located in a burning vehicle with Mexican license plates.
- Date: 05 JUN 2010
Location: Laredo, TX
Description: One victim was located shot outside his home.
- Date: 31 MAY 2010
Location: Travis Co, TX
Description: Two male victims were shot and killed by a male suspect.
- Date: 29 MAY 2010
Location: San Juan, TX
Description: One male victim was shot to death when at least three suspects attempted to kidnap him from his home.
- Date: 11 APR 2010
Location: Houston, TX
Description: One male victim was shot to death when at least three suspects attempted to kidnap him from his home.
- Date: 04 MAR 2010
Location: Dallas, TX
Description: One female victim was shot dead by drug traffickers outside her home.
- Date: 06 FEB 2010
Location: Palmview, TX
Description: One male victim was beaten and shot to death in a field north of Palmview after stealing a load of marijuana.
- Date: 12 DEC 2009
Location: Austin, TX
Description: One victim was killed at a taco stand.
- Date: 14 NOV 2009
Location: Houston, TX
Description: One victim was killed at his apartment.
- Date: 11 NOV 2009
Location: Weslaco, TX
Description: One victim was killed.
- Date: 3 SEP 2009
Location: Horizon City, Texas
Description: One male victim was kidnapped from his home in Horizon City; his body was found in Ciudad Juarez with his hands cut off.
- Date: 29 JUN 2009
Location: Laredo, TX
Description: One victim was killed.
- Date: 15 MAY 2009
Location: El Paso, Texas
Description: One male victim was shot and killed in El Paso.
- Date: 20 APR 2009
Location: Dallas, Texas
Description: One male victim was shot to death by at least one assailant.
- Date: 19 SEP 2007
Location: Val Verde Co, TX
Description: One victim was killed; case is open and still under investigation.
- Date: 06 JAN 2007
Location: Dallas, TX
Description: Two victims were tortured and killed (one victim was pregnant).
Cartel Related kidnapping, extortion and unlawful restraint in Texas
Human smugglers regularly kidnap groups of illegal aliens in Texas and hold them against their will in safe houses while demanding ransom payments from their families. In other cases, cartel members and associates have abducted individuals in Texas to force them to align themselves with the cartel.
Public Corruption
Mexican cartels are adept at corrupting law enforcement officers and public officials in Mexico and the United States.