Report: Mexican drug cartel seizes U.S. ranches.

It is being reported that the Mexican drug cartel "Los Zetas" has seized at least two U.S. ranches near Laredo, Texas, in what has been described by a local Laredo area law enforcement officer as "an act of war".

Laredo law enforcement officials have requested the help of Federal law enforcement, and the U.S. Border Patrol is conducting aerial surveillance to determine the best course of action to regain possession of the ranches.

Information is sketchy, as there is an apparent "news blackout" concerning the takeover, ostensibly to allow law enforcement to co-ordinate their activities and decide what course of action is to be taken.

According to Kimberly Dvorak, of Examiner.com:

"The Los Zetas drug cartel is an offshoot of the elite Mexican military trained in special ops. The mercenary organization is said to include members of corrupt Mexican Federales, politicians as well as drug traffickers. The group was once part of the Gulf cartel, but has since splintered and now directly competes with the Gulf cartel for premium drug smuggling routes in the Texas region."

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Mexican drug cartel takes control of two U.S. ranches.

Multiple U.S. ranches taken over by Mexican "Los Zetas" drug cartel.