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Mexican Army smokes 2 bad guys in Matamoros

For a map, click here For a map of Tamaulipas state, click here

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

Several shootouts between rival drug gangs, and with Mexican federal security forces have taken place Monday, leaving two dead in Matamoros in Tamaulipas state, according to Mexican news reports.

According to a news account which appeared on the online edition of Milenio, several armed suspects were traveling aboard a two vehicle convoy on Avenida Rigo Tovar Monday when they encountered a Mexican Army road patrol. The ensuing gunfight and pursuit ended near ejido El Juanillo.

The report said that two were killed, but only one individual, a local man named Oscar Andres Escamilla Sala, had been identified.

A new release by the US Consulate in Matamoros Monday warned about gunfire being reported in San Rafael, Obrera and Paseo Residencial residential districts including near a Walmart, but news of the warning appeared in press just this afternoon. Many of the data came from social media in Matamoros including Twitter and Facebook.

The Twitter post warning of the gunfire appeared at around 1650 hrs and an all clear post appeared an hour later.

It is unclear in concurrent news reports as of Tuesday night if the danger has been eliminated or is ongoing.

According to a news item posted on El Blog del Narco narco blog, roadblocks have been taking place in Matamoros, which is the usual response of local criminal gangs when attempting to stop security forces from closing.

Meanwhile in Brownsville, Texas, US Border Patrol Agents seized 87 kilograms of marijuana in a vehicle attempting to cross over into the US Tuesday.

According to a separate Milenio report, US agents searched a 1998 Chevrolet Suburban SUV finding the drugs hidden inside the vehicle's fuel tank. An unidentified Mexican national in his 20s was detained at the scene.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com and BorderlandBeat.com
Posted by: badanov 2013-06-12
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=370051