Mexican authorities destroy 14 homemade armored cars used by drug cartels
Authorities in northern Mexico say they have destroyed 14 homemade armored cars of the kind used by drug cartels to fight land battles MEXICO CITY -- Authorities in northern Mexico said Sunday they have destroyed 14 homemade armor ed cars of the kind used by drug cartels to fight land battles. The vehicles are usually adapted from commercial trucks, with steel plate armor welded on. Known in Mexico as “monstruos,” or “Monsters,” some of the vehicles junked were truly monstrous. Many had thick steel ramming prows welded to the front. Others had firing ports and gun turrets. At least one was painted in green camouflage to resemble a Mexican army vehicle. Video distributed by the federal attorney general’s office showed a crane with a claw ripping one of the vehicles apart in Tamaulipas state. The state, which borders Texas, is home to at least two warring drug cartels, the Northeast and Gulf cartels. Prosecutors did not say which gang the vehicles belonged to or when they were seized....