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Author Topic: Mexican Cartels Enslave Engineers to Build Radio Network  (Read 1246 times)

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Mexican Cartels Enslave Engineers to Build Radio Network
« on: November 03, 2012, 1904 UTC »
The Mexican military is trying to dismantle an extensive network of radio antennas built and operated by the notorious Zeta drug cartel. But the authorities haven’t had much luck shutting Radio Zeta down. Not only is much of the equipment super-easy to replace. But the cartel has also apparently found some unwilling — and alarming — assistance by kidnapping and enslaving technicians to help build it.

At least 36 engineers and technicians have been kidnapped in the past four years, according to a report from Mexican news site Animal Politico, with an English translation published by organized-crime monitoring group InSight. Worse, none of the engineers have been held for ransom — they’ve just disappeared. Among them include at least one IBM employee and several communications technicians from a firm owned by Mexico’s largest construction company. “The fact that skilled workers have been disappearing in these areas is no accident,” Felipe Gonzalez, head of Mexico’s Senate Security Committee, told the website.

“None of the systems engineers who disappeared have been found,” Gonzalez said. Unlike Colombia, where drug traffickers control large amounts of territory and can keep hostages for many years, Mexico’s drug territory is more in flux. “When they need specialists they catch them, use them, and discard them,” said the father of one kidnapped engineer....

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/11/zeta-radio/
Chris Smolinski
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Offline Pigmeat

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Re: Mexican Cartels Enslave Engineers to Build Radio Network
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2012, 1239 UTC »
The cartels have done the same with miners and mining engineers for a good decade and a half. Kidnap them at a remote mine site,truck 'em up to the border to design and dig tunnels,and the miners are never seen or heard from again.

I've got friend who does some work in Mexico for a mining company. He say's his crew is under heavy security from the time they leave the plane in Mexico until they fly back out.

Offline Northern Relay Service

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Re: Mexican Cartels Enslave Engineers to Build Radio Network
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2012, 0017 UTC »
Amazing what laundered US federal money can accomplish without rules eh .  ;D ;D