Colorado Viewed As Lucrative Market For Gangs Who Smuggle Drugs, Guns, and Humans

The Rocky Mountain News finally decided Colorado's gang problem merits a front page story. It is entitled, "Serious,on the rise." Data from law enforcement puts the number of confirmed gang members at 12,741, but that count may be low, because they do not include every city in the state. Gangs from Mexico and Southern California have moved into Colorado, trafficking in drugs, humans, and guns. Mexican drug cartels ship drugs up Interstate 25 to Colorado, and then gang members take over distribution. The other major interstate highway is I-70, giving us the link to California. It is not just the large urban areas. Small towns like Greeley and Longmont have huge populations of gang members. Kansas City and Phoenix have problems similar to Denver.