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on the border line between the US and Mexico
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Thursday, October 7, 2021

Cyclones, Scorpions and Old School Killers - The War for Tamaulipas

“Guerrero” for Borderland Beat



It was so simple once. The Gulf Cartel and its ancestors maintained control of Tamaulipas for eight decades.

In the 1930s, Juan Nepomuceno Guerra smuggled whisky across the Rio Grande during Prohibition. The enterprise swiftly grew to all types of contraband. By the 1980s, this business had been formalized in the Gulf Cartel (Cartel del Golfo – CDG).

Federal prosecutors. Border agents. Police officers. All of them answered to the group’s leader, 
Juan García Abrego. Guerra’s nephew, Abrego, was the first Mexican drug trafficker to be included in the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted List in 1985.

This marked the birth of the US-Mexico border cartels.

It couldn’t last.

In the 1990s, the Zetas, a paramilitary-style group of former Mexican special forces, were hired to guard CDG leadership. The story of how the Zetas grew in influence and membership until outsizing the CDG – as well as the war that ensued and its ongoing impact on violence in Mexico today – has been well documented. 

The Zetas’ betrayal began a pattern of units created as bodyguards or enforcers eventually trying to supplant their own leaders. As the Cárdenas Guillén family, which led the CDG and had recruited the Zetas, fractured and struggled to maintain control, different “units” were created across Tamaulipas, ostensibly to guard specific leaders or cities. In Reynosa, the Metros; in Camargo and Mier, the Rojos. In later years, the Ciclones (Cyclones) arose in Matamoros. The Escorpiones (Scorpions) were the private guard of Antonio Ezequiel Cárdenas Guillénalias “Tony Tormenta.” After he was killed in 2010, the Scorpions went to ground in Matamoros and are now allied to the Cyclones.

Over time, the Zetas would also split, only worsening Mexico’s criminal fragmentation. But their successors have been fewer, with the Old School Zetas (Zetas Vieja Escuela) and Northeast Cartel (Cartel del Noreste) emerging as the main groups.


Source: Insight Crime

27 comments:

  1. Just imagine the other cartels fears when they found out that CDG had managed to bribe 34 Active Military members most being SF. Yeah there Have always been ex military and what not but 34 is alot of men. High trained men who are made to obey orders, their chain of command and high disciplined who loved their work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have to agree with Mr Sosa about the number of soldiers acquired in one shot. That is definitely a lot. And a cost for concern at that time.

      Respect to the Machine and Hearst and all the other contributors of this AMAZING SITE. Got nothing but love for you guys.😁😁

      Delete
  2. Yes, I must agree. The Zetas changed the whole scene, sadly. Cartels were obviously always violent but Zetas really changed the landscape with the fear and gore propaganda. Sadly, others groups have seen how successful the fear ploy is. Gold f'ing star goes to Osiel Guillen. Dickhead.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cartels are only violent because drugs are:
      - illegal and
      - highly profitable

      Take the profits - all profits - out of drugs and harm minimization will be easy peasy.

      30+ years of WoD has brought us cheaper, stronger and more plentiful drugs than ever, coupled with unprecedented levels of violence and ODs!

      Delete
    2. Human trafficking alone makes them incredible amounts of money sadly. Not to diminish the even more they make on drug trafficking argument but whose to say that they would all of a sudden stop extortion, stop collecting “piso”,stealing from trailer cargo, etc.. It would possibly diminish their power greatly, but if it would stop them completely then.. In not sure about that.

      Delete
  3. Z7 el Mamito truth witness on YouTube great interview👍🏻

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was subscribed to truth witness...but for some reason I cannot find his videos there anymore..was his account deleted?

      Delete
    2. Yes due to. Suspicious activity.

      Delete
  4. Zetas are slowly getting exterminated.
    They have a bad image and are hated and feared but mostly hated.
    They have done many atrocious acts to innocent people, just for the hell of it

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I shaved this morning,vI haven't shaved for 4 weeks, I couldn't believe I saw little bugs come out.

      Delete
    2. Shut up dummy. All cartels are garbage not just the zetas idiot

      Delete
    3. Lol mexica is an idiot and a dummy, dummy comment.

      Delete
    4. Looks like I got a few pendejos mad at me and now they won't leave me alone hahaha

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Exacto look at mencho he clean up for Mayo
      Know he’s a war with Mayo only one jefe

      Delete
  6. Ya el primito tiene el corredor libre para trabajar con jAlisco desde Tamaulipas

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jaliscas do not have free will in tamaulipas. They already had high ranking cell leaders revolt and the fact that el primito had el choco killed the guy that gave el primito the crown a well liked leader withing the faction. We will see how long it last also el primito cant set foot in reynosa. How the hell is he going to lead?

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  7. They came to the greatest most specialized country on earth to be trained! And the thanks the USA tax payers get is deadly drugs across its borders and the same scrubs our guys trained are committing. A genocide.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No weapons for you off limits.

      Delete
    2. Truly doubt advocating peace from cartels is possible

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    3. Groups in Tamaulipas should not let Jalisco set foot in state because they will turn on them to take control they can use California as their Route.Tamaulipas for Tamaulipas.

      Delete
  8. Until the Zeta show up, the cdg never or tried not to kill innocent people. Zetas killed the hold family.

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    Replies
    1. Lol cdg never killed innocent ppl? Gtfoh. The original zetas were schooled by Oziel one of the most violent cartel bosses mexico ever had.

      Delete
  9. Virgilio Barrera was the first drug kingpin in tamaulipas. Then came Juan N Guerra. Also the Valencias were originally from tamaulipas.

    ReplyDelete

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