Michelle Malkin » Invasion: Gangs, gun battles at Tex-Mex border; Updated: No US ranch seizures, 51 bodies discovered in Monterrey

Invasion: Gangs, gun battles at Tex-Mex border; Updated: No US ranch seizures, 51 bodies discovered in Monterrey

By Michelle Malkin • July 24, 2010 07:11 PM

Scroll for updates…

There’s a new outbreak of disorder at the southern border this weekend.

The AP reports on gun battles plaguing the region across from Laredo, Texas:

Late-night gunbattles with gangs who forced citizens from their cars and used the vehicles to block streets paralyzed a border city, sound of gunfire alarmed Texans on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande.

The Nuevo Laredo city government posted messages on Facebook warning citizens to stay indoors as the battles erupted at several intersections in the city across from Laredo, Texas.

Frightened people on the U.S. side of the border called emergency dispatchers after hearing the gunfire, Laredo police spokesman Joe Baeza said Thursday. But he said there was no spillover violence.

“We were getting reports from people who live on the river’s edge that they could hear gunfire and explosions from the Mexico side,” Baeza said.

“We didn’t have any incidents on the American side. It’s hard for people to understand who don’t live here,” he added. “They’re not Vikings, they’re not going to invade us, it doesn’t work that way.”

Nuevo Laredo city officials said they could not immediately confirm witness reports that several gunmen were killed.

Despite those denials, rumors are swirling of a Zetas-led invasion into Texas ranches. Digger’s Realm, a veteran immigration blogger, has the story:

The bloodbath continues along our southern border and now word is coming in that Los Zetas, the highly trained killers formerly with the Gulf Cartel, have crossed into the United States and taken over at least two ranches in the Laredo, Texas area. I am receiving word that the owners of the ranches have evacuated without being harmed. The source is law enforcement in the area.

(Update 2 story is now 100% confirmed by second source within the Laredo Police Department)

Founder of the San Diego Minutemen Jeff Schwilk tipped me off to this story and passes along the following information on the location. The ranches are said to be “near Mines Rd. and Minerales Annex Rd about 10 miles NW of I-35″.

Update 1 (Statement from Mr. Schwilk)

I can personally vouch that this info came in late last night from a reliable police source inside the Laredo PD. There is currently a standoff between the unknown size Zeta forces and U.S. Border Patrol and local law enforcement on two ranches on our side of the Rio Grande. The source tells us he considers this an “act of war” and that the military is needed on the border now!

***

Update: Elizabeth Kilbride has contradictory info from the Laredo PD regarding the rumored ranch seizures:

Individuals who have flooded the switchboards of the Laredo Police Department and the Webb Sheriff’s Department have been asking one question: is there a problem down along the border? They have received the same response just as I received when I asked the same question, “Yes, there is a problem down here and it’s serious,” said one law enforcement source. When asked if there is any truth to the rumors of a Texas Rancher having their property taken over by the Cartel on this side of the border their response was clear, “Hell no and I’d know, I’m a 9-11 operator.”

As you can see it’s all about how you ask the question in order to receive the correct answer when inquiring into such a seriously volatile situations. When you call any police department along the border and ask if there is a problem down their way, of course they will say there is for sure. They deal with border issues every day and yes, there is a serious problem down their way. Therefore, please be sure to ask the right questions before posting out to the masses about this issue. I for one am guilty today of doing the same as all of you, which is why I made the phone calls and asked the right questions to quell this situation once and for all.

Confederate Yankee also called Laredo PD: No ranch seizures.

***

Meanwhile, in Monterrey today:

Investigators said Saturday they have found 51 corpses in two days of digging in a field near a trash dump outside the northern city of Monterrey, as excavations continued at one of the largest clandestine body dumping grounds in Mexico’s bloody drug war.

The attorney general of Nuevo Leon state, where Monterrey is located, said the victims included 48 men and 3 women. There so many bodies that authorities were using refrigerated trucks to hold them, Alejandro Garza y Garza told local television.

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#101

On July 25th, 2010 at 1:44 pm, purplepeep said:

TXRose said:

Just read on Canada Free Press that FBI Informant(s) do say that Los Zetas have acquired a ranch in S TX where they train their people.

TXRose, that’s from a news story from May 2009 that I linked to in comment #96.
#102

On July 25th, 2010 at 1:46 pm, TXRose said:

1200 people on the border of AZ is nothing. They will have to be divided in shifts. Average shifts are probably 8 hours each soooooo…800 people per shift if there are no “leaders” who will sit in an office barking orders and no “pill counters” to handle time sheets, etc. That would cut down even more on the number of people on patrol.
Zounds!!!! Obamatopia is on the job!
#103

On July 25th, 2010 at 1:47 pm, TXRose said:

Thanks Peep…my mistake! Didn’t read the older comments but will do so now.
#104

On July 25th, 2010 at 2:02 pm, purplepeep said:

TXRose said:

Thanks Peep…my mistake! Didn’t read the older comments but will do so now.

Naw, ya didn’t. Unfortunately the CFP and a few bloggers kind of mixed the two stories together. Though they are linked in the sense that this type of thing does happen, but it’s two different incidents.
#105

On July 25th, 2010 at 2:07 pm, txvet2 said:

On July 25th, 2010 at 8:48 am, Flyoverman said:

We are the people behind every blade of grass and we do help our neighbor defend their homes.

At least here we do. There’ve been cases here where somebody shot a burglar robbing his neighbor’s house. No charges.
#106

On July 25th, 2010 at 2:34 pm, TXRose said:

Yamamoto warned that attacking America would awaken the “sleeping giant” which it did. Perhaps Calderon needs to heed the same warning.
We decided not to annex Mexico after the American/Mexican war and to me that was one smart move. All of this could be happening in the U.S. long before now. It is only happening now because the for sale pols in this country won’t push to have the law enforced. Yes, I want the law enforced so call me a racist…the dems will!
#107

On July 25th, 2010 at 3:00 pm, happy2behere said:

I take back the compliment to Phil. True westerners say thank you when complimented.

I too grew up in SoCal (none of this ‘Cali’ nonsense) and it was once a beautiful place. Nowadays it is fiscally insane, overrun and overbuilt. Give me Colorado or Texas any day.
#108

On July 25th, 2010 at 3:46 pm, rocketman said:

***
HI FLYOVERMAN–#98. Yes–there are a lot of Texans with past or current military training. And many are “armed and ammoed up” just in case the violence spills over into our state.
***
However, if the Mexican drug gangs like the Zetas are real properly trained and armed military type units–it will go very badly for individual Texans fighting against squads or platoons. And the arms they have are RPG’s, full auto AK47′s, grenades and grenade launchers–even .50 cal. long range sniper rifles and real machine guns. And car bombs are being used in Juarez now–Iraq style IED’s / EFP’s may be coming soon.
***
This sounds like a job for the National Guard if a real invasion ever occurs. We are a long way from even a trained militia–despite our long ago military training and experience.
***
See the May 1996 National Geographic–page 23–to see how Peru’s President Fujimori took down the communist shining path guerrillas then. The military pursued them and killed them at all opportunities. And then they trained and armed the villagers in the small towns they kicked the murderers out of into a basic militia. The photo shows 4 women–3 with 12 gauge shotguns–and 1 with a beat up but serviceable bolt action rifle–Mauser? Every villager and his dog was trained in shooting and surviving basics.
***
No longer could the murderers return after the Army left and force the villagers to grow drugs for them. No longer could they abuse the people–they were met with hot flying lead from all sides when they came back to take over again. Worked like a charm!
***
This is the answer to fixing the Mexican security problems. And our smart forefathers gave us this right in our Constitution. Mexico disarmed all their people and left them at the tender mercies of the cartel drug lords.
***
John Bibb
***
#109

On July 26th, 2010 at 10:22 am, Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul said:

I have been drunk in Nvo. Laredo back in the early to mid 1990s as a UT student.

But we were smart, no drunk driving up I-35 back to Austin. Cab to some flea bag motel on Santa Ursula, breakfast at Denny’s, then drive back.
#110

On July 26th, 2010 at 10:25 am, Lindsay said:

If this is a non-story, a “hoax”, then why is the original reporter/blogger continuing to stand by their story, which, as of today, has not been retracted? Just because a few commenters calling the Laredo PD say it is a “hoax” by bloggers does not lead me to believe that this is not “something.” The MSM thought Dan Rathergate was a “hoax” as well, along with John Edward’s love child.

The lack of news since Saturday is odd.

Where did the source of the story originate? I have read it possibly started with two ranchers feuding (in the comments that do not feel it is a drug cartel).

Is there a 911 call that shots were fired?

Also read it is not Los Zetas, but unrelated Mexican criminals holed up on a ranch after fleeing from the Mexican military; and now surrounded by US law enforcement and Mexican police/military.

Regardless, whether this is a law enforcement training exercise that started rumors, or a real threat to a few US ranches, the truth to the story should be either denied or told. News agencies seem to be ignoring the entire thing. I’d think the MSM would take great glee in shooting down a “hoax” by bloggers—so where are they on this story?
#111

On July 26th, 2010 at 10:28 am, Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul said:

My wife has lots of cousins in La Joya and Mission, in Deep South Texas, aka “The Valley”, we used to visit Nvo. Progreso, Popo would buy me beers. Mi suegro has taken me by the hand drawn ferry across to Cd. Gustavo Ordaz, where he was born. I have attended a wedding at San Miguel Arcangel church were my wife was baptized.

The soldiers with automatic weapons mounted on armored vehicles, first time my wife’s grandparents saw that, never returned.

My wife’s dad, Mexican born, came legally with his parents when his father was being treated for leukemia at MD Anderson, they applied for permanent residence and then citizenship while here, all legally, he told me it makes him angry to see people waving Mexican flags at the Arizona protests. He says if they love Mexico so much they should move back.
#112

On July 26th, 2010 at 11:26 am, Southpaw said:

On July 25th, 2010 at 11:03 am, Christian Soldier said:

Maybe we need a few VIKINGS — looks like our own Federal government is doing nothing but appease the terrorists from Mexico…

The Viking nations (Sweden, Norway, Denmark & Iceland) are among the least corrupt nations in the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index
#113

On July 26th, 2010 at 12:34 pm, Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul said:

Laredo is one medium sized city in a large and semi-arid, sparsely settled Webb County.

Has anybody checked the Webb or Zapata county sheriff’s offices?
#114

On July 26th, 2010 at 12:53 pm, Lindsay said:

Ed #126—many bloggers and the public have called the police and Webb County sheriff’s office since Sat. I am not one of them as I did not want to use public services that are not mine. The initial law enforcement comments were “they did not know.” Then the comments ranged from “cannot comment” to “cannot comment right now.” This was all from commenters to websites, one said that the mayor himself requested a media black out. So, who knows? The story, to me is not dead until everyone said it is and explains how this got started (911 calls, etc).

I would say there is some type of media black out as today there is…nothing.

Could be nothing, but I believe “something” started the inital wave of reports. The reporter still, last time I checked, stood by her story.
#115

On July 29th, 2010 at 8:46 pm, Jimmie said:

It is pretty clear that our government has no interest in the border…so if gangs did take over ranches and kill US citizens it is OK with the US government. They are at least a little embarrassed at this and so will deny and do nothing, making it difficult to find out if these attacks are real or not. Some secret treaty is at work here and the lives and property of US citizens are forfeit. We don’t know how far over the border they are allowed to operate? ..secret you know but they seem to be as far as Phoenix, and they are allowed pot farms and drug labs far up into California?….Proof?…they are here voting and in business…and it is pretty much illegal to do anything to stop them….an occasional friendly drug lab raid but nothing serious in shutting them down.
#116

On August 11th, 2010 at 12:18 pm, rktkr said:

looks like we might have got punked again Michele:

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2010m8d10-Mexican-cartels-takeover-Texas-ranch–NOT-A-HOAX-Police-blotter-confirms-story