The execution hit on a Mexican lawyer a few weeks back in Southlake surprised a lot of people.
But law enforcement officials and analysts say the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is now a key “command and control” center for moving drugs and people across the country.
“When you have these kinds of incidents in your nicer communities, it really resonates and brings home the cartels’ reach,” said Fred Burton, a security analyst with Austin-based Stratfor Global Intelligence who monitors the cartels.
“There’s a perception that these guys don’t do that kind of stuff here, but in reality they do. They are selective, but if they do want to kill somebody, they’ve been successful in doing it, as evidenced by what happened in Southlake.
“If you are in a large city in America, in all likelihood there is a cartel presence there. No city is untouched anymore.”
Star-Telegram Staff writer Steve Campbell reports.
-- Bill Miller

