Thread: 11 'illegal aliens' found at west side stash house, 2 facing smuggling charges

WHO ARE LOS ZETAS?

The Zetas gang, also known as Los Zetas, was originally part of the Gulf cartel, one of Mexico's largest and deadliest criminal organizations which was established in the mid 1980s.


Zetas was formed in 1997 by a group of Special Forces defectors which served the larger cartel and acted as enforcers for them. They were hired, predominantly, as bodyguards and assassins and there were 31 of them in total to begin with.


Their name translates to 'The Zs' and is derived from the code names given to their leaders - all of which start with the letter Z.
Because of its members advanced military training, they brought a new level of sophistication to the underworld and created fresh challenges for US law enforcement agencies trying to crack down on the Mexico's drug gangs.
In 2002, they struck out on their own.


Unlike other gangs which navigated large parts of the underworld through making deals with violence a collateral side effect, the Zetas MO is torture and terror.


They are responsible for the 2010 massacre of 72 illegal migrants whose bodies were found dumped in a mass grave in San Fernando.


Images of the victims, who were from other Central and South American countries, shocked the world and illustrated the brutality of the Mexican cartel world.


They were savagely killed after refusing to work for Los Zetas or give them money to be released.


Zetas helped smuggle migrants found in Walmart truck | Daily Mail ...