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• Valley Officials Monitor Cartel Activity in Other Parts of the Country

  May 15, 2013 8:13 PM

  HIDALGO COUNTY - Mexican Cartel activity across the United States is being traced back to the Rio Grande Valley, local law enforcement officials said. San Juan Police Sgt. Rolando Garcia said he spends part of his day researching cartel activity that might have ties to the Valley. "We... more »

• Sheriff: Cartels Resorting to Scare Tactics Play Video

  April 26, 2013 7:46 PM

  HIDALGO COUNTY - An increase in the confiscation of drug loads may be driving cartels to resort to scare tactics, officials said. Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Trevino said the Rio Grande Valley's law enforcement community has received threats about poison-laced drug loads. Trevino said the cartels may be... more »

• Officials: Cartels Continue Recruiting Teens Play Video

  April 11, 2013 8:43 PM

  BROWNSVILLE - South Texas authorities say Mexican drug cartels will continue to recruit teens to smuggle illegal immigrants and drugs through the region. Jim Wells and Brooks counties District Attorney Carlos Garcia said the cartels are becoming more sophisticated. "To become successful in their line of work, or... more »

• Commando Frees 12 from Miguel Aleman Prison Play Video

  February 26, 2013 4:06 PM

  MIGUEL ALEMAN - State of Tamaulipas officials on Tuesday reported the escape of 12 inmates from a Miguel Aleman prison. Fifteen armed men stormed the prison and overpowered the guard at the main gate. The commando held the watch commander at gunpoint as they freed the inmates. Two... more »

• Local Resident Refutes Claims of Decreasing Violence in Mexico Play Video

  January 30, 2013 10:36 PM

  WESLACO - A Rio Grande Valley resident said reports of diminishing violence in Mexican border towns are false. The man, Raul, lived in a Mexican border town across from the Valley much of his life. He had to flee north after a drug cartel took his family's businesses. ... more »

• Military Uniforms Available to Anyone Play Video

  October 18, 2012 10:10 PM

  WESLACO - The unrestricted sale of military uniforms allows criminals to purchase the garb at any store or roadside stand. U.S. military uniforms can be seen on Mexican drug cartel men arrested across the border. Juana Hernandez sells about six military uniforms a day at her roadside stand... more »

• Official: Mexican Cartels Growing in Texas Play Video

  October 12, 2012 9:41 PM

  WESLACO - Drug cartels are operating on our side of the Rio Grande, state officials said. Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw said it's more a reality now more than ever. He said they are strengthening their presence in South Texas. "The most organized crime threat... more »

• Cartels May Be Forcing Teenagers to Commit Crimes Play Video

  September 14, 2012 10:04 PM

  WESLACO - Young teenagers accused of smuggling drugs and illegal immigrants claim the cartels threaten their families to force them to commit the crimes. Judge Jesse Contreras believes the threats are true. "We haven't seen anybody die yet, thank God," Contreras said. "I don't know to what... more »

• Mexico, US Intensify Cartel Takedowns Ahead of PRI's Return to Power Play Video

  September 12, 2012 7:24 PM

  WESLACO - American drug agents and Mexican intelligence officers are in the middle of cartel takedowns, officials said. Mexican officials arrested several key cartel figures and extradited them to the United States to face charges. The latest high-profile arrest was that of Jesus Rejon Aguilar, also known as "El... more »

• Arizona Officer Speaks about Border Violence Play Video

  August 24, 2012 6:50 PM

  SAN ANGELO - An Arizona police lieutenant said the Mexican drug war is crossing the border. Phoenix Police Lt. Lauri Burgett spoke during a recent binational narco-terrorism conference in San Angelo. "Sometimes we worry a lot about that cartel element," Burgett said. "The truth is, there are organizations... more »

• Narco-Terrorism Topic of Binational Conference Play Video

  August 23, 2012 5:43 PM

  SAN ANGELO - A narco-terrorism conference brought together law enforcement and government officials from both sides of the border. The three-day conference addressed the cartel wars. Officials had the opportunity to share information and talk about ways to work together to minimize narco-terror in Mexico and the U.S. ... more »

• Mexican Priest Confronts Cartels to Help Migrants Play Video

  August 14, 2012 6:57 PM

  WESLACO - A Mexican bishop is backing off his decision to retire a priest with a penchant for confronting drug cartels. The Rev. Alejandro Solalinde will not have to give up his ministry to advocate for migrants who fall prey to cartels. Solalinde is known as a passionate... more »

• Activist Braves Cartel Violence in Nuevo Laredo Play Video

  July 25, 2012 9:56 PM

  NUEVO LAREDO - The cartels' turf war has forced thousands of Nuevo Laredo residents to leave their homes. One man has done the opposite and is struggling to let others know about the violence gripping his city. "We wake up in the morning, pray and put our lives... more »

• Unfinished Gun Parts Getting ATF Attention

  July 13, 2012 4:21 PM

  WESLACO - Federal agents are looking into cases of partially finished firearm parts that are showing up in the hands of Mexican cartels. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms issued a statement today in response to a story aired Thursday by CHANNEL 5 NEWS. The report was on... more »

• Cartels Using New Tatic To Make Enemies Look Bad Play Video

  June 1, 2012 5:59 PM

  The cartels are using a new tactic to make themselves look good and their enemies look bad. They're not using guns or bodies for this newest tactic, they are using pieces of paper with a message. Tactical Analyst Ben West at the global intelligence agency Stratfor says this is... more »

• Psychology of Survivors Play Video

  May 18, 2012 12:43 AM

  WESLACO - Surviving traumatic events isn't easy; getting through kidnapping and extortion from the cartels seem impossible. CHANNEL 5 NEWS sat down with a psychologist to talk about the strength of survivors. Dr. Joseph McCoy specializes in trauma. He treats patients who are bouncing back from horrible circumstances; some... more »

• Nuevo Laredo Newspaper Halts Cartel Reporting Play Video

  May 14, 2012 7:31 AM

  NUEVO LAREDO - A Mexican border newspaper has decided to stop reporting on any violence they believe is connected to the cartels. The publishers of "El Manana of Nuevo Laredo" made the announcement in a weekend editorial. The article says the paper will not report on the violence currently gripping... more »

• Special Report: Gangs and Cartels Recruiting Young People in the Valley Play Video

  May 11, 2012 2:53 AM

  WESLACO - Teens in the Rio Grande Valley are being lured into the gang life with the promise of money and power. But getting involved in those organizations comes with a price. One man CHANNEL 5 NEWS spoke with used to live the gang life. He has a lengthy... more »

• Special Report: Troubled Waters Play Video

  April 30, 2012 11:59 PM

  MERCEDES - CHANNEL 5 NEWS is exposing new threats to the Rio Grande Valley's water supply. We're asking questions about the safety and security along the Rio Grande. The river is the Valley's primary source of water. Cities and water corporations count on powerful pumps to push thousands of... more »

• Gun Shop Owner: New Rules Cuts Time Helping Customers Play Video

  April 28, 2012 1:45 AM

  RIO GRANDE VALLEY - One gun store owner is upset with a new federal rule for gun dealers in four border states. The rule is designed to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to the people who buy guns for the cartels illegally. Erick Kruger says... more »

• Mexican Drug Cartel Promises No Violence During Pope Visit Play Video

  March 19, 2012 4:37 PM

  One of Mexico's drug cartels promises no violence during the pope's visit. A Guanajuato state official says at least 11 banners signed by the Knights Templar gang were found in the area where the pope is scheduled to begin his trip Friday. The banners apparently carry messages about a... more »

• Expert Says Women Taking Important Roles in Cartels Play Video

  March 16, 2012 7:08 PM

  Police officers in the Valley tell us they are catching more smugglers who don't fit the typical criminal profile. They are women. The cartels are finding them, training them and turning them into traffickers and killers. A cartel expert tells me his intelligence shows a 50 percent increase in... more »

• Valley Police Officers Could Gain Access to Top Secret Information Play Video

  March 15, 2012 7:06 PM

  Police officers in the Valley could soon gain access to top secret information. The Department of Homeland Security is making classified information available to local departments. Homeland Security wants local cops to know what's going on. This means law enforcement from all over the Valley could soon be working... more »

• Police Officer Says Santa Muerte Shrines Not Considered Evidence Play Video

  March 13, 2012 7:08 PM

  Shrines dedicated to Santa Muerte may be causing problems for police. We found many of these shrines still stand days after a police investigation ends. We wanted to know why. We've come across the large imposing symbol of the saint of death on several occasions. We noticed investigators often... more »

• Mexican Official Reports Fighting in Nuevo Laredo Play Video

  March 13, 2012 7:05 PM

  NUEVO LAREDO, MEXICO - The consulate general says shots can be heard throughout the city. They're advising residents not to leave their homes until it's over. The Mexican military and the drug cartels have been fighting it out near the center of town. It all began around 10 a.m.... more »

• Expert Says Cartel is Wrong Term for Zetas, Gulf Cartel Play Video

  March 6, 2012 7:00 PM

  BROWNSVILLE - An expert in Mexico's drug wars says we're calling drug cartels the wrong name. She says the drug organizations are evolving into something bigger and more dangerous. UTB professor Dr. Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera says the term "drug cartels" isn't accurate. Drugs are just a part of their business.... more »

• Biden Meeting With Mexican President Play Video

  March 5, 2012 5:38 PM

  MEXICO CITY - Vice President Joe Biden is in Mexico on Monday meeting President Felipe Calderon. Calderon asked Biden to stop the flow of weapons and drug money coming into Mexico from the United States. Calderon says U.S. weapons help fuel drug-related violence that's now killed 47,000 people in... more »

• DPS Chief Talks About Real-Time Map Tracking Drugs, Cartels Play Video

  March 1, 2012 7:30 PM

  MCALLEN - A high-tech map is tracking the cartels as they move across Texas. The map moves; it has real-time information about drugs and guns, cartels and violence. Texas Homeland Security Chief Steve McCraw showed lawmakers how it works at a border security hearing in McAllen on Thursday. It's... more »

• Texas Homeland Security Chief Says 6 Cartels Operating in Texas Play Video

  March 1, 2012 5:37 PM

  MCALLEN - The Texas Homeland Security chief gave new numbers to state lawmakers about exactly how many drugs cartels are pushing across our borders. Texas Homeland Security Chief Steve McCraw says there are six cartels operating in Texas. Those cartels pushed 109 percent more marijuana through 59 border counties... more »

• Field Workers Near Weslaco Say Cartels Bigger Problem Near River Play Video

  February 29, 2012 7:30 PM

  HIDALGO COUNTY - The state agriculture commissioner paints a dangerous reality for some Valley farmers, one that includes cartels, smuggling and threats. Todd Staples say he's heard of workers walking off the job because of the risks. Its one tough job, but field worker Beto Luna is glad to... more »

• Expert Says Drug Organizations Control Prisons in Mexico Play Video

  February 20, 2012 7:23 PM

  Mexico's government is trying to track down more than two dozen Zetas who escaped from a prison in Nuevo Leon. The state's governor blames the prison's director and guards for helping plan the escape. The Zetas reportedly killed 44 inmates who were part of the rival Gulf Cartel before... more »

• Mexico Sending Thousands of Additional Troops to Michoacan

  February 3, 2012 1:10 PM

  MORELIA, MEXICO - The Mexican government is sending thousands of additional troops to the western state of Michoacán. The first 4,000 soldiers have already arrived in the state capital of Morelia. Authorities are battling La Familia and the Knights Templar drug cartels. At least 56 people were killed... more »

• Shootout in Matamoros Forces Mexican Police to Put Up Blockades Play Video

  January 31, 2012 4:27 PM

  MATAMOROS, MEXICO - There are reports of a shootout in the streets of Matamoros on Tuesday afternoon. It started around 3 p.m. in a heavily populated area around the HEB and Wal-Mart by Pedro Cardenas and Avenida Manuel Cavazos Lerma. The shootings are between the Mexican military and the... more »

• Novelty Tequila Bottles Get Some People Fired Up Play Video

  January 30, 2012 7:22 PM

  Some say guns that hold tequila are a novelty, and others think it's a not-so-good reflection on Mexico. Stacked on the shelves of Holiday Wine and Liquor are 150 brands of tequila in 300 different types of bottles. "They come in all sizes," says owner David Hernandez, "all... more »

• Authorities Studying Video of Man Throwing Dummy Grenade at Home Play Video

  January 30, 2012 5:28 PM

  SAN JUAN - Authorities are hoping surveillance video showing the man who threw a dummy grenade at a home will help them shed light on their investigation. Surveillance video shot at a home on the 100 block of Jacaranda Street shows a car creep by Friday night. A few... more »

• Battle for the Border: Officer Says Cartels Starting to Retaliate on Law Enforcement

  January 27, 2012 1:44 PM

  WESLACO - It's been six years since CHANNEL 5 NEWS spoke with members of Los Zetas. Back then, they told us they were already in the United States and it was only going to get worse. Now CHANNEL 5 NEWS is speaking with a law enforcement officer about how things... more »

• Expert Says Authorities Could Use Cartel Communication Systems Against Them

  January 26, 2012 6:44 PM

  There's evidence the Mexican cartel could be raising their own red flags. Soldiers broke up another one of their radio communication systems. It all went down right across the border from Starr County. We already know the cartel has been able to set up its own communication systems. Now... more »

• Border Crossers Say Mexican Governments Efforts Against Cartels Helping

  January 26, 2012 6:42 PM

  Information released by the Mexican government says the drug war is claiming fewer lives. We went to find people who live in Mexico and Americans who cross the border regularly. We wanted to know if their experiences are consistent with this information. People are waiting for the bus in... more »

• Alamo Woman Talks About Missionary Killed in Mexico a Year Ago Play Video

  January 24, 2012 6:31 PM

  ALAMO - An Alamo woman is looking back on the past. It's been a year since she lost a fellow missionary to Mexican cartel violence. Life hasn't been the same for her since then. The name Nancy Davis slowly faded from the headlines. Her death has become a distant... more »

• Official Says Cartels Looking Toward Juveniles to Smuggle Loads Play Video

  January 11, 2012 7:26 PM

  A video shows the teenage driver of a truck trying to get away with 700 pounds of drugs. Officers caught him and took him to a place with more children like him. Most of them were busted for trafficking huge amounts of drugs. "The cartels are easily influencing these... more »

• Valley Police on Alert After FBI Warns Gulf Cartel Threatening to Shoot Officers Play Video

  January 11, 2012 6:39 PM

  Valley police are on alert. The Gulf Cartel is threatening to shoot at officers to protect their loads. The warning came from the Texas Department of Public Safety. CHANNEL 5 NEWS reviewed a letter sent to different agencies in the McAllen area. The letter, citing information from the FBI,... more »

• Expert Says Beheadings in U.S. Look Like Work of Cartels Play Video

  January 10, 2012 6:53 PM

  Three beheadings in two different states and they happened here in the United States, not Mexico. Former DEA supervisor Phil Jordan says all three beheadings have cartel written all over them. They happened in Arizona and Oklahoma in the past year. A murder mystery is now unraveling on... more »

• Zapata County Sheriff Says They Are Receiving Fewer Cartel Threats Play Video

  January 4, 2012 8:23 PM

  ZAPATA COUNTY - The battle against cartels in Zapata County is taking a different turn. Deputies say they're getting fewer threats. It may be because the cartels are changing the game. "Sometimes you don't know if you're going to go back home or not," says Zapata County Sheriff Sigifredo... more »

• Authorities Say Cartel Towers in Mexico Could Be Used in Valley Play Video

  January 3, 2012 7:32 PM

  Federal authorities say it is possible Mexican cartels are using its Mexican communication towers on this side of the border. Cartel towers were found all across Mexico. They belonged to the Zetas. The frequency it sent could be picked up in the Rio Grande Valley. It's a communication network... more »

• Cartels Using Scanners to Track Law Enforcement Movement Play Video

  December 22, 2011 7:36 PM

  WESLACO - Cartels are tracking officers' every move. They're using high-tech surveillance equipment you can buy at many electronic stores. Police use it to communicate. We use it to get to some news stories. For you, a police scanner could be a tool to know if there is a... more »

• Car Battery Recycling Concerns Play Video

  December 22, 2011 12:37 AM

  WESLACO - You might not think twice about that old car battery you take in to the car shop when you need a new one. CHANNEL 5 NEWS learned more of them are going to Mexico. Carlos Escobar owns an automotive shop in Weslaco. He tells us inside the... more »

• Sheriff Speaks About Future of the Border

  December 20, 2011 11:53 PM

  EDINBURG - Sheriff Lupe Trevino says Mexico's war on drugs will intensify in northeastern Mexico over the next 12 months. He says recent efforts to shut down drug and human trafficking on the arizona and california borders will send a new wave of criminal activity through the Valley. "You're going... more »

• Lawmakers Push for People to Lose Jobs Over Fast and Furious Program Play Video

  December 8, 2011 2:37 PM

  WASHINGTON, D.C. - Republican lawmakers are getting tough with Attorney General Eric Holder. They want the Holder to fire some Justice Department employees because of the failed gun trafficking program called Fast and Furious. Fast and Furious is the ATF operation that ultimately allowed criminals to buy guns and... more »

• Former Mexican President Blames U.S. for Drug War Play Video

  December 2, 2011 3:00 PM

  Former President of Mexico Vicente Fox said the drug war along our border is not his country's fault. He blames the United States. The former president says it comes down to supply and demand, and the demand for drugs is huge on our side of the border. He says... more »

• Hidalgo County Sheriff Says Vallucos Gang Is a Growing Problem Play Video

  December 1, 2011 2:59 PM

  DONNA - Three men allegedly involved in an armed robbery in Donna are behind bars. They are all facing charges of aggravated robbery. Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Trevino says the men are a part of a gang that is causing major headaches in his county. Trevino says the Vallucos... more »