| | |  News Around the Republic of Mexico | July 2009 
Mexico Announces Plan to Test Special Drug Courts
 Associated Press
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July 28, 2009
 |  | Calderon's office issued a statement saying the Mexican president praised the United States' collaboration in fighting trafficking in arms, precursor chemicals and illicit money that is going in the north-south direction. |  | | |
Mexico City — Mexico announced a pilot program Monday to have special courts handle cases involving addicted offenders who commit crimes while under the influence of drugs.
The idea was praised by visiting U.S. drug czar Gil Kerlikowske, who noted "drug courts" can sentence people to rehabilitation programs instead of prison.
"Successful programs like drug courts, which will break the cycle of addiction and crime by mandating treatment for certain offenders, are going to receive strong support," said Kerlikowske, who heads the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Kerlikowske was in Mexico for meetings with officials from that country, including President Felipe Calderon.
After their session, Calderon's office issued a statement saying the Mexican president praised "the United States' collaboration in fighting trafficking in arms, precursor chemicals and illicit money that is going in the north-south direction."
It also stressed Mexico's battle "to disband the operational and financial networks of organized crime that operate in both countries."
Earlier, Kerlikowske met with Attorney General Eduardo Medina-Mora, who announced the plan to set up Mexico's first drug courts in the northern state of Nuevo Leon. Similar courts function in the United States, and Medina-Mora said he will eventually propose them nationwide in Mexico.
The attorney general also said Mexico will ask the United States to increase its actions against marijuana trafficking, noting the trade remains a main source of income for Mexico's violent drug cartels.
"We frequently find insufficient resources and infrastructure on the U.S. side to prosecute those who carry out low level marijuana trafficking," he said.
Violence involving drug gangs has killed more than 11,000 people in Mexico since President Felipe Calderon took office in late 2006 and ordered a crackdown on the cartels.
Medina-Mora said the number of deaths from drug violence decreased in the first seven months of 2009, compared to the last seven months of 2008, although he did not offer specific figures. |
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