Drug addiction in Jurez represents a daily drug-trafficking market of about $2.3 million, according to files disclosed by online whistleblower WikiLeaks. <\/p>\n
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.\" <\/p>\n
\"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. <\/p>\n
At the current exchange rate, 30 million pesos is about $2.3 million in U.S. currency. <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
\"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.\" <\/p>\n
Aliviane operates the largest rehabilitation center in El Paso. <\/p>\n
Mexican health officials reported three years ago that Jurez had approximately 45,000 addicts, and about half of those abused illegal drugs. <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
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