Murder near Albuquerque drug cartel-related, sheriff says

Posted: March 17, 2009 10:02 AM PDT
Updated: March 17, 2009 10:02 AM PDT

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White says violence from the Mexican drug wars in Ciudad Juarez is spilling over into the Albuquerque area.

White says deputies are dealing with a spike in drug trafficking in the metro area, and he says that the drug cartels are behind at least one murder in town.

Deputies say 53-year-old Danny Baca was shot more than 20 times and his body burned. They believe it was all a result of Baca double-crossing one of the Mexican cartels in Ciudad Juarez by taking a load of marijuana to Albuquerque instead of dropping it off in El Paso, Texas.

White says there's a high amount of violence in New Mexico and drug runners are being arrested on a weekly basis in Albuquerque, which is directly connected to the cartels.

Information from: KOB-TV, http://www.kob.com


(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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