CNN/Reuters: Mexican 'FBI' investigates 1,500 agents

[DeepModem Mom]

Mexican 'FBI' investigates 1,500 agents
Sunday, December 4, 2005


MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -- Mexico created an elite force of federal agents modeled on the FBI four years ago, but now one in five members of the agency is under investigation for committing crimes, the attorney general's office said on Sunday.

In a report obtained by Reuters, the attorney general's office said 1,493 members of the Federal Investigation Agency, or AFI, are under investigation "for probably committing crimes," and 457 of those currently face prosecution.

Founded by President Vicente Fox in 2001 in an attempt to end rampant corruption among Mexican police, the AFI is increasingly seen as being infiltrated by the country's powerful drug gangs.

The AFI, which has about 7,000 agents, became the center of a scandal this week after the attorney general's office said it had charged eight agents in the kidnapping of four presumed drug hit men and the videotaped killing of at least one of them.

Amid mounting criticism of the institution, Mexico's Attorney General Daniel Cabeza de Vaca said on Sunday federal agents had probably taken part in the kidnapping but he distanced the AFI from the videotaped scenes....


http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/12/04/mexico.drugs.reut/index.html

[Vidar]

1. At least Mexico investigates its corruption.

[High Plains]

4. Yes, and they have to shut down an anti-drug agency every...

few years because it's become hopelessly compromised. The Mexican Army is now involved, with the same corruption problems. And just a few days ago, the Fox government amended the constitution to allow state and local cops to enforce the drug laws, so now they'll get dirty hands, too.

The traffickers tell the cops they have a choice:

plata o plomo
silver or lead
the bribe or the bullet

[AngryAmish]

2. When we decide to stop taking drugs

Then Mexico (and many other countries in our hemisphere) we have a bit of peace.

But we will not stop taking drugs because drugs are fun.

I support legalizing pot but not other drugs. However I think if pot is legal then half of the illegal drug money goes away.

[High Plains]

5. We will not stop taking drugs...

...so we may as well start regulating them to reduce both the harms related to drug abuse (overdoses, dependency, neglect) and those related to drug prohibition (black market profits, criminal violence, overflowing prisons, too many cops).

It's tempting to say just legalize pot, but it's the black markets in the hard drugs that are most socially destructive. Legalizing pot wouldn't touch any of that.

[lovuian]

3. Corruption can bring down any nation!!!

It brought down Rome!!!