Cartel gunmen used high-powered rifles to shoot down a Mexican military helicopter this weekend. The shootout came during a series of shootouts in the cartel-controlled state of Michoacán.
The attack occurred over the weekend as Mexican military helicopters provided air support to a group of soldiers patrolling the area searching for cartel gunmen. Gunmen on the ground fired at the helicopter using high-powered rifles, hitting it several times. The attack forced the pilot to make an emergency landing. According to unofficial information, the co-pilot and crew were seriously injured in the landing impact. The military rushed to rescue the crew and tried to get them medical treatment. Mexican authorities have since tried to downplay the issue.
Cartel gunmen have used various types of machine guns and .50-caliber rifles in clashes with authorities. The rifle below was found last week in an area where a gunfight was taking place.
The shootout came as cartels fight for control of drug production and trafficking routes into Mexico, using landmines and other explosives to kill troops and rivals. As reported by Breitbart Texas, cartel gunmen killed four soldiers in the same area last week. They also used landmines and drones to drop explosives on soldiers, injuring nearly a dozen people.
It is unclear which cartel attacked the soldiers, but the attack on the helicopter occurred near the town of Tepalcatepec. The town is known as the base of Jose “El Abuelo” Farias, a drug lord who rose to fame in Mexico by posing as the founder of a self-defense organization. El Abuelo enjoys some government protection from bribing various public officials, and in the past has even hired a former Colombian terrorist to teach his subordinates how to develop explosives.
El Abuelo’s cartel is not the only criminal organization with experience handling explosives. Their rival, the Cartel Jalisco New Generation, is currently one of the most violent organizations in Mexico. The CJNG also employs Colombian mercenaries and military veterans to train gunmen in the use of explosives. CJNG has a long history of using explosives and other bombs in Mexico.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist at Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Breitbart, Texas Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Breitbart’s senior management team.you can follow him twitter And even more Facebook. He can be contacted at: iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Breitbart Texas Cartel His Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and Breitbart’s senior management team.follow him twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at: bdarby@breitbart.com.
