Mexican cartels are stealing luxury rental cars to traffic drugs, according to reporting by Steve Fisher for Puente News Collaborative, with support from the Fund. California is a top target for criminal groups in part because privacy laws restrict rental agencies from tracking vehicles thought to be stolen until after the return deadline has passed. Texas and Arizona are also seeing significant rental vehicle theft. Once the vehicles are in Mexico, cartels switch the U.S. license plates for Mexican plates, via corrupt officials. Drug cartels use the vehicles to traffic drug shipments and ferry sicarios to war zones. Fisher’s story was republished in the Los Angeles Times, El Pais and other outlets.
Mexican cartels are stealing luxury rental cars from the U.S. to traffic drugs, grantee reports
