Mexican cops claim La Familia cartel in decline

Mexican police officials claim they'll soon eradicate the deadly drug cartel La Familia since it has been weakened as a result of the death of its top leader. La Familia is recognized as one of the most violent and deadly organized crime gangs in the world.

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Just recently, La Familia witnessed a number of it's crime captains either killed in shootouts with federal police or by the Mexican military. In addition, the gang is fighting against the South Pacific Cartel whose members have begun operating within La Familia territory. La Familia is primarily smuggling large shipments of cocaine into the United States along Mexico's Pacific coast. The gang is also producing and trafficking the synthetic drug methamphetamine, a stimulant that is longer lasting and more deadly than cocaine. Besides drug trafficking and human smuggling, La Familia is known for extortion and kidnapping, and much like the Colombian FARC attempts to portray itself as a populist left-wing group that defends members of Michoacan society from the brutality of government forces or rival cartels. La Familia shocked Americans and other nations in 2006, when its members allegedly tossed five decapitated heads into a Mexican nightclub with a sign that read: "Only those who deserve to die will die." Ironically, Mexican President Felipe Calderon's place of birth is in Michoacan. He first deployed troops to that state in 2006 and then later deployed soldiers and federal police officer ("Federales") to other parts of Mexico. Since 2006, close to 35,000 people have been killed in drug- and gang-related violence. In fact, according to a new Mexican database, the number of people killed in the conflict between December 2006, when President Felipe Calderon came to power, and the end of 2010 stands at 34,612. 2010 was by far the bloodiest since Calderon initiated his anti-drug military campaign against the cartels, with 15,273 deaths. Meanwhile in the United States last week, the dismantling of a drug smuggling organization operating from Mexico to Chicago and Indianapolis was announced by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security in a report to the National Association of Chiefs of Police. What originally began as an undercover buy and bust involving three grams of cocaine for $150 on July 27 culminated on December 15 with the seizure of 48 kilograms (109 pounds) of cocaine with a street value of $1.5 million, and 4.4 pounds of methamphetamine with a street value of up to $80,000. This particular drug organization was responsible for distributing up to five pounds of methamphetamine and 10 kilograms of cocaine per month in the Indianapolis area, according to federal law enforcement officials. U.S. Attorney Joseph Hogsett said, "A drug bust of this significance occurs only once every couple of years." Eight individuals -- males and females -- were charged in a federal indictment and 25 individuals were arrested on state charges. Also seized in the operation was 184 pounds of marijuana,18 guns, and $69,535 in U.S. currency. These charges resulted from an eight month investigation led by the Indianapolis Metro Drug Task Force, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.