Former DEA Director Tom Constantine said U.S. lawmen are still stunned by the event. Thanks to their courage and really their ingenuity, they were able to extricate themselves from that. But I will tell you they were very, very fortunate. Investigators say it's only the latest in a string of recent brushes with the Mexican gangs, who have been growing stronger, wealthier and meaner. Four cartels now control much of the Mexican-U.S. border, stretching from Matamoros to Tijuana, while a fifth based in Guadalajara funnels in drugs from South America to the rest and beyond.
Investigators say the gangs are now the size of small armies.
All have hired the protection of Mexican police. All are armed with automatic weapons. Some have used aircraft not only to run drugs, but stalk lawmen. And the Arellano Felix brothers have even threatened to kill U.S. drug czar Gen. Barry McCaffrey if he visits Mexico again. McCaffrey will go there anyway in February.