Mexican security forces have made two major seizures of cocaine this month, including a rare bust in a state neighboring Mexico City. Analysts suggest that the cartels are moving greater quantities of the drug into the capital to meet a demand spike linked to the World Cup.
Seizures and Demand
On June 22, security forces reported they had seized just over three metric tons of cocaine on the same day in two parts of the country, the western state of Guerrero and the central state of Tlaxcala. Six security experts interviewed pointed to the World Cup as a likely reason why cocaine would be moving through Tlaxcala, a landlocked state not known for being a trafficking route.
Andrés Sumano, a security expert at El Colegio de la Frontera Norte in Tijuana, said, “The increase in demand expected for the World Cup in Mexico City may have led criminal groups to increase their supply in warehouses near Mexico City, which facilitated such a large seizure.”
Three drug dealers in Mexico City interviewed said they had seen demand increase as a result of the World Cup, for which Mexico was expecting 5.5 million visitors. One dealer, who asked not to be named, acknowledged that international events like the World Cup are always a “good opportunity” to boost sales.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
