WikiLeaks highlight concerns about Juárez drug abuse, Mexican drug wars

Drug addiction in Jurez represents a daily drug-trafficking market of about $2.3 million, according to files disclosed by online whistleblower WikiLeaks.

The leaked file cites a Mexican official who is referred to only as "MX-1." During a meeting with U.S. and Mexican officials, the official identified as MX-1 said "that Jurez has a drug abuse problem which amounts to about 30 million pesos a day."

"It's a 30 million peso a day market for Jurez, with anywhere from 2,000 to 2,500 individuals," MX-1 said. "He (MX-1) added, for example, they know that most of the people that are participating in the kidnappings are addicts," according to the leaked file.

At the current exchange rate, 30 million pesos is about $2.3 million in U.S. currency.

Guillermo Valenzuela, Aliviane Inc.'s director of community affairs, said he suspects that the number of addicts quoted in the leaked document (2,000-2,500) likely refers to heroin users, only because the total number of addicts is much higher based on other sources.

"My understanding is that Jurez and Tijuana now have the largest number of addicts in Mexico," Valenzuela said. "We can't provide a dollar figure for what the market for drug addicts represents in El Paso, because we've never had such a study funded."

Aliviane operates the largest rehabilitation center in El Paso.

Mexican health officials reported three years ago that Jurez had approximately 45,000 addicts, and about half of those abused illegal drugs.

During the Arturo Gallegos Castrellon drug and murder conspiracy trial in February, witnesses testified that a drug cell operating in El Paso handled millions of dollars in drug proceeds on a monthly basis.

Another witness in the trial said his group had amassed $11.8 million from drug proceeds, and that it took two days to count the cash.

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WikiLeaks highlight concerns about Juárez drug abuse, Mexican drug wars