Drugs are big business , and in Mexico in particular , the drug economic system is get a withering impingement . Narcotics trafficking bring in closely $ 40 billion to Mexico yearly and the country is the gateway for 95 pct of thecocainethat finds its mode to America [ source : Department of Justice ] . The drug game is so lucrative that in 2009 , Forbes put narco kingpin Joaquin Guzman , head of the Sinaloa corporate trust , on its annual lean of The World ’s billionaire [ source : Forbes ] . The magazine publisher also placed him at No.41 in its ranking of The World ’s Most Powerful People [ origin : Forbes ] .

In 2006 , Mexico elect Felipe Calderón president , and he responded to the increasing drug - related activity in his country by launching a full - plate ravishment on the country ’s drug cartels . about five days into his term , the fight rages on . Thecartels , the reprehensible organizations that control the production , trafficking and enforcement of the drug business deal are considered the most powerful mastermind crime consortium in the Western world [ source : Beith ] .

Since Calderón have on the trust , more than 34,000 lives have been claimed , more than the war in Iraq and Afghanistan combined [ sources : Ellingwood , Department of Defense ] . As the warfare on drugs escalates to the south of the border , the method each side is using are also becoming more sophisticated . For instance , the U.S. government has enlisted remote-controlled aircraft , ordrones , for high - altitude surveillance of Mexican trust fastness .

But this is still predominantly a soil war , and one of the emerging method acting for transporting and protect narcotics in this combative and violent conflict is a narco armoured combat vehicle . Narco tanks , sometimes holler ' los monstruos ' ( the monsters ) by locals , are highly armoured , intemperately armed vehicle designed to hold and serve up out loads of penalty .

In this article , we ’ll explore how narco tanks are being used , how they ’re created and what their front means for practice of law enforcement . So , what does it take to create one of these road warriors ? Keep read to find oneself out ( but do n’t try this at home ) .

Anatomy of a Narco Tank

Narco tanks are constructed to do two thing : protect their lading and take a beating . To this end , the drug organizations build these monsters have shown a great passel of imagination when it comes to their creations . Mexican authorities lately seize two of these vehicle , which demonstrate the frightening resolve of the cartels .

" El Monstruo 2011 " ( The Monster 2011 ) is the byname given to one such fomite . The Mexican army prehend the battle - readyarmored transportafter a firefight with theLos Zetascartel in other May 2011 [ root : Wyler ] . The crudely modified three - axel truck was large enough for 12 man and could accomplish speeds of 68 sea mile per hour [ source : CNN ] . It was equipped with slots and gun enclosure for gunmen to blast weapons , let in rocket - propelledgrenades , from inside [ source : Wueger ] . El Monstruo 2011 was only disabled because its wheels were go out unprotected and scratch by gunshot .

These are just two examples of the length drug combine are unforced to go to for the illegal drug patronage . alike seizures have yielded tanks that include substance abuser - favorable features likeair conditioningand special insulation to muffle the sound of incoming gunshot [ origin : Johnson ] . This fight has take care the deployment of modern ( and not - so - modern ) engineering science to aid the cartels , but these tanks leave little doubt that they ’ve been plan with far more violent intentions than merely running drugs .

So , who ’s using these machine , and how widespread are they ? In the next section , we ’ll look at how these vehicles are affect local law enforcement and what method are being used to combat them .

Challenges to Law Enforcement

In 1971 , President Richard Nixon declare state of war on drugs but in the 40 years since , the battle has grown far bloodier than anyone could have bode [ source : PBS ] , In recent days , the violence in Mexico in finical has transformed component of the state into virtual war zones , and Mexican law enforcement agency are being overwhelmed . In 2008 , U.S. President George Bush signed the three - year Merida Initiative , a $ 1.6 - billion program to fit out and groom Mexican , fundamental American and Caribbean authorities in their efforts against the cartels [ author : Richter ] . But three years later on , critic are wondering if Merida has done any good .

Narco army tank represent another level of frustration for officials battling cartels that are already well - funded , highly educate and extremely motivated [ rootage : Richter ] . The vehicle can transfer with child crews of up to a dozen or more heavily armed human being , so just their comportment can be intimidating . But so far , there do not seem to be any accounts of these vehicle engaginglaw enforcement[source : Johnson ] . Instead , the cartels seem to be free these monsters on each other , using them to gain an advantage in their own turf state of war .

The egress of these narco tanks is another escalation gunpoint in a warfare that grow increasingly trigger-happy , and serves as a reminder for law police officer about what they are up against . Entire community of interests are terrified of requital if they cooperate with law enforcement and without the middle and ears of citizens , government agency are at an even heavy disadvantage [ author : NPR ) .

And there is reason to believe narco armored combat vehicle may betoken that the drug warfare is deteriorating into a full - fledged narco - insurgency . In January 2011 , a car dud stamp out a police ship’s officer in only the second such attack in the res publica ’s story [ germ : Ramsey ] . This increase hostility toward law enforcement and political leaders ( three Mexican mayors were assassinate in a two - calendar week span earlier this year ) has draw comparisons to the drug - fueled violence that circulate throughout Colombia in the ' fourscore and ' 90s [ origin : Ramsey ] .

So what hope does Mexico have for fighting back against trust so resolute that they ’ve resorted to build tanks in their garages to protect their business ? In the next section , we ’ll take a looking at Mexico ’s long - term lookout for the war on drugs .

Narco Tanks May Be Here to Stay

The United States is the reality ’s most lucrative drug market and the fight to supply it is unrelenting [ reservoir : Moore ] . In fact , the trouble show signs of getting worse . In June 2011 , Mexican official sequester a fleet of much turgid narco tanks . or else of modified pickups , these began life as three - axel equipment trucks with the capacity to transport 20 heavy armed goon [ origin : Johnson ] .

But there is hope . With more than a billion dollar bill from the Merida Initiative still appropriated to gird Mexicanlaw enforcemententities with the equipment and education , the hope is that civilian security forces can assume some of the burden that has fallen to the Mexican military . This redistribution of responsibleness should prevent the military from being extend thin by having to fight the cartel as well as manage its traditional role of represent the state against external menace [ root : U.S. Department of State ] .

Of course , as long as the U.S. demand for illegal drugs remains mellow , combating the supply portion of this supply - and - demand cycle will be difficult . To put U.S. pulmonary tuberculosis into perspective , consider that in 2009 more than 11 percent of thepopulationover 12 years old reported usingmarijuana[source : Department of Health and Human Services ] . That ’s a lot of dope .

Until the requirement for outlawed drug is brought under control , suppliers will do whatever they can to take that very specialised , very moneymaking niche . These hyper - modified fomite are just one of the symbols emerge from an ugly and protracted engagement . With so much at stake , and with police enforcement struggling to carry off the trafficking crisis in Mexico , the trust will belike cover to employ narco army tank and other aggressive method .

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