Deja Vu: Drug Cartel Attacks Mexican PepsiCo Subsidiary for the Second Time
- Posted on June 1, 2012 at 4:30pm by
Jason Howerton
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In this photo taken late Friday, May 25, 2012, flames rise from a warehouse of the Mexican potato-chip company Sabritas, in Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico. Sabritas is a subsidiary of PepsiCo. (AP Photo)
It‘s starting to look like one of Mexico’s drug cartels has declared war on the Sabritas snack company – a subsidiary of U.S. food giant PepsiCo – as police in southern Mexico say another one of the company’s delivery trucks was torched with gasoline bombs, the Associated Press reports.
A Michoacan state police crime report says a truck belonging to Sabritas was traveling along a rural highway late Thursday when it was attacked. The assailants fled the scene; no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
However, this happened just hours after the Knights of Templar drug cartel publicly took credit for the arson attacks that took place at five Sabritas distribution centers in Mexico last week, where dozens of trucks were set ablaze. The cult-like gang hung banners on Thursday accusing Sabritas of allowing law enforcement officers to use its trucks for transportation and to spy on them.
The company has denied the cartel’s allegations and are now reportedly working with police to investigate the attacks, according to The Daily Mail.
“We repeat that in accordance with our code of conduct, all of our operations are carried out in the current regulatory framework and our vehicles and facilities are used exclusively to carry our products to our customer and clients,” the company said.
Experts say drug cartels regularly earn money by demanding “protection payments” from local businesses. Some speculate that may be the motive behind the firebomb attacks. The gang-related bombings are said to mark the first time a multinational company has been targeted by cartels in such an attack since Mexico’s brutal drug war began.
In this photo taken July 14, 2011, white robes with Maltese crosses, guns, munitions and Templar Knights paraphernalia are shown to the press when a training camp was discovered. (AP Photo)
Several suspects, including a Knights of Templar lieutenant, were arrested on Monday in connection with the first series of attacks against the Sabritas snack company, according to the state attorney general’s office in Guanajuato.
Gerardo Gutierrez, president of Mexico’s Business Coordinating Council, on Monday explained that the attack was an “isolated case” of the extortion plots cartels implement on small and medium-sized businesses. He said law enforcement should act swiftly to prevent the tactic from becoming a common occurrence.
“What we cannot allow is for this kind of isolated case to become generalized,” Gutierrez said. “The authorities have to take forceful action.”
Despite the strong words, the company was targeted again before the week was out.
The Daily Mail has more background of the Knights of Templar:
The Knights Templar organisation is a relatively local, minor player in drug smuggling, trafficking mainly in methamphetamines and marijuana. With little access to the more lucrative cocaine and heroin business, cartel members have sought to raise money from other criminal activities.
‘The Knights Templar have been more aggressive in their use of extortion and alternative sources [of income] than practically any other cartel, except the Zetas,” Alejandro Hope, a security analyst and former official in Mexico’s CISEN intelligence agency said. The hyperviolent Zetas cartel was formed along Mexico’s Gulf coast by deserters from an elite military unit and has been linked to the extortion and kidnapping of civilians.
AFP also reported Wednesday that the U.S. government said it has been in contact with Mexico regarding the series of arson attacks on the PepsiCo-owned company.
“The United States strongly condemns these attacks and all acts of criminal violence,” the State Department said in a statement.
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Ran60
Posted on June 3, 2012 at 9:05amNot surprising…the cartels are COKE dealers!
Report Post »jackact
Posted on June 2, 2012 at 10:01amPepsico, isn’t that an American corporation?
Report Post »Of course it is.
If Mexico cannot keep its house in order then maybe we should pull out all American
Corporations from that lawless country.
It’s not like Obama is going to do anything about the continuing destructive drug cartels.
The Pepsico plant was probably attacked with weapons that Eric Holder provided.
fathersSon
Posted on June 2, 2012 at 3:49amFathersSon.
Report Post »My son just Graduated eight grade. Very proud, however this weekend. We are going to pick up
a couple long shot 22 caliper with scopes. We’re going to take lessons the hole thing.We live in chicago.
So needless to say we are jumping throw hoops. This place is getting crazier buy the day.
KidCharlemagne
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 6:34pmIt‘s my belief that the whole story isn’t being told here…..
During Prohibition, Al Capone sent his goon squads to sabotage shipments of bootleg liquor being trucked in by his rivals…
So in light of the facts presented above, then I tend to have my own suspicions that the Sabritas trucks are being used to smuggle narcotics (under the guise of legitimacy) as well by a rival gang.
I could very well be wrong about this, but that’s what it sounds like to me.
Report Post »chazmo
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 8:02pmit’s either that(most likely) or they haven’t paid their protection money…
Report Post »merik59
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 6:12pmSo they have a mad-on for Pepsi products. They want payment for protecting the chips & soda. I guess I‘m having a tough time working myself up over that one unless they thought the chips weren’t toasted enough & the soda should be served warm. Sounds like some seriously bored & high-flying idiots to me. Hey, let’s go blow up some snack trucks… Just doesn’t sound all that exciting to me. So, they want to push all the available jobs out of Mexico. Good idea, morons. First, your clients have to have money before they can pay you for your so-called protection. We’ve got some real intellects here. What are you going to squeeze them for next when PepsiCo pulls its operations out altogether? Drug addicts obviously do not understand the basic requirements of an economy. Like first you have to have one & it does take money. The new & unimproved Knights Templar… The pope must be so proud. They’re all probably good Catholics, too. Way to go. Imbeciles.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 5:20pmBloomberg sent them there for selling 32oz+ sodas….
Report Post »PROSECUTE_PUBLIC_SERVANTS__FOR_CONSTITUTIONAL_TREASON
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 4:38pmThis is what happens when citizens give up their right to bear arms and when the gov. is corrupt.
Report Post »possom
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 5:19pmWell we‘re half way there but I’m not giv‘in up my gun’s!
Report Post »marcus_arealius
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 4:38pmWhat have I said for 20+ years.. any US business with operations in foreign, alien countries operate under a always present threat of political revolutions, religious crusades and jihads, civil war, and the criminal dominance of the social structure. Any of you business smart-asses who continue to export our jobs and factories can burn in hell.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 4:38pmThis is not the Way of the Knight’s Templar… it is the Way of Al Capone!
Report Post »subic
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 8:31pmFrito Bandito & the Beenie Brigade must have got the memo on Pepsi using fetal tissue from dem supported aborted babies in their recipe for flavoring.
Report Post »