Free Rein: Gulf Cartel Used Heavy Machinery to Remove Police Camera Network near Border

Breitbart Texas traveled to the Mexican States of Tamaulipas and Coahuila to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities.  The writers would face certain death at the hands of the various cartels that operate in those areas including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas if a pseudonym were not used. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by “A.C. Del Angel” from Reynosa.

REYNOSA, Tamaulipas — Drug cartels continue to operate with almost complete impunity in this border city. Most recently the Gulf Cartel was able to use heavy machinery to take down a series of police video cameras; one of the cameras was right outside of the local Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office.

The Mexican government set up a large number of surveillance cameras throughout the border city of Reynosa last year in what they called a new attempt to curb the activities of organized crime. By then, the Gulf Cartel had their surveillance network in place for years. Through the use of strategically placed cartel lookouts, clandestine radio communication networks and a series of surveillance cameras, the criminal organization had managed to stay one step ahead of authorities.

As Breitbart Texas previously reported, it was also during last year that Tamaulipas authorities and the Gulf Cartel took part in a tit for tat series of attempts at disrupting each other’s surveillance network.  To keep their cameras safe, Mexican authorities build metal barriers to protect the concrete poles that held the cameras. The tensions escalated to the point that authorities had to send escorts to ensure the safety of the technicians that had been fixing or setting up the cameras.

The latest chapter in the ongoing war for the eyes and ears of the city took place last Friday when the criminal organization kicked off their most brazen attempt. According to eyewitnesses, cartel members had a crew using heavy machinery and jackhammers to remove the barriers and knock down the concrete poles.  Despite that fact that Reynosa is home to the headquarters of the 8th Military Zone, the Gulf Cartel was able to take down dozens of cameras throughout the city even the cameras right outside of Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office along Boulevard Hidalgo, one of the main avenues in the city.