- MEXICO CITY: Mexico’s federal police agency says the Michoacan-based La Familia drug gang extorts a wide variety of industries, including avocado and lime farmers, miners, ranchers and even bullfighting organizers.
The Public Security Secretariat says that in order to supplement its income, La Familia forces miners to pay $1.50 per ton of metal sold to China and cattle ranchers to pay $1 per kilogram of meat.
The secretariat details the extortion racket in a report Sunday about the cult-like cartel that has terrorized western Mexico.
The report comes five days after federal authorities apprehended La Familia’s alleged leader, claiming a debilitating blow against the organized crime group.