Authorities in northern Mexico say they’ve destroyed 14 home made armored vehicles of the sort utilized by drug cartels to struggle land battles
MEXICO CITY — Authorities in northern Mexico stated Sunday they’ve destroyed 14 home made armored vehicles of the sort utilized by drug cartels to struggle land battles.
The automobiles are often tailored from business vans, with metal plate armor welded on. Recognized in Mexico as “monstruos,” or “Monsters,” among the automobiles junked had been really monstrous.
Many had thick metal ramming prows welded to the entrance. Others had firing ports and gun turrets. Not less than one was painted in inexperienced camouflage to resemble a Mexican military car.
Video distributed by the federal legal professional basic’s workplace confirmed a crane with a claw ripping one of many automobiles aside in Tamaulipas state.
The state, which borders Texas, is house to not less than two warring drug cartels, the Northeast and Gulf cartels. Prosecutors didn’t say which gang the automobiles belonged to or after they had been seized.
Whereas such automobiles seem intimidating, they’ve proved susceptible in observe. As a result of the metal armor provides a lot weight, they are usually sluggish, unwieldy and sometimes break down. Simple to identify, additionally they look like susceptible to incendiary gadgets or munitions. Many are discovered burned.
Their use illustrates the lengths Mexican cartels have gone to struggle rivals and authorities. The cartels’ weapons additionally embody improvised explosive gadgets and bomb-dropping drones.