[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 23, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E526]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       ENCOURAGING MEXICAN GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE DRUG TRAFFICKERS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. RON PACKARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 23, 1999

  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reiterate the commitment of 
my colleagues and I to win the war on drugs and encourage the Mexican 
government to cooperate with our efforts.
  Recently a Mexican judge dismissed charges against two drug kingpins, 
Jesus and Luis Amezcua-Contreras. These brothers have both been 
indicated on narcotics charges by federal grand juries in separate 
cases in Southern California. Mexico has claimed for years now to be 
allies of the United States in the war against drugs, but the fact of 
the matter is that the Mexican government has yet to extradite a 
national drug kingpin for trial in the United States to date.
  Mr. Speaker the fact is that United States drug laws are stricter 
than those in Mexico and drug criminals fear our judicial system. We 
must send a message to our neighbors to the south and these criminals 
that we will not be intimidated or weak willed when dealing with this 
serious issue.
  It is vitally important for the United States to continue to stand 
firm in our commitment to win the war on drugs. Without the full 
cooperation of our neighbors, we have little chance of meeting this 
goal. The United States, and southern California in particular, cannot 
afford yielding in our efforts to stop the flow of illegal drugs over 
our borders and into the hands of our children.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage the Mexican government to release drug 
traffickers which have been indicted by our government back to United 
States officials so they can be properly tried in our country. We must 
protect our children from such diabolic criminals.

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