Pinal County deaths tied to Mexican drug wars
by KTAR.com

FLORENCE, Ariz. -- Two men found shot to death in a remote desert area in western Pinal County were likely victims of ongoing violence of Mexican drug cartels, authorities said Friday.

The bodies of the two Hispanic males, believed to be Mexican nationals, were discovered several hours after a man, apparently one of the victims, called 911 the night of June 6. He said he and his "partner" had been shot near the spot where Deputy Louie Puroll was shot and wounded five weeks earlier while pursuing drug smugglers. The area is a corridor for drugs and human smugglers.

The Sheriff's Office said the 911 dispatcher and the caller were in contact for about 28 minutes.

Deputies found the men dead hours later. Autopsies confirmed they apparently had been shot with AK-47-type automatic weapons.

The Sheriff's office said it is working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Mexican consulate to confirm the men's identities and notify next-of-kin.

The bodies were found about 500 yards from a migrant camp in Antelope Pass, an area commonly known for drug and human smuggling. The Sheriff's office said investigators have not been able to confirm if the men were part of the drug trade or what they were doing at the camp.

"The Sinaloan drug cartel, a super drug cartel, is now controlling the region from Rocky Point, Sonora, Mexico, to Nogales, Sonora, Mexico," the sheriff's release said. "They are the main drug cartel operating in western Pinal County and it is unknown whether these men are associated with this or another competing drug cartel."

Sheriff Paul Babeu said the deaths emphasize the need for the federal government to take action, including sending National Guard troops, to secure the border.
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