The People In Tancitaro, Mexico Defend Their Town Against The Drug Cartels

In Mexico, avocado farming is an extremely profitable agricultural business, generating more than US$1.5 billion every year. In the city of Tancitaro, the industry makes so much money it is dangerous. Tancitaro is Mexico’s largest exporter of avocados.

Producing over US$1 million per day gained the attention of the cartels. The simple business of growing avocados has turned to be so lucrative that, at times, Mexican drug cartels have taken over the farms. 8,000 avocado farmers and their families were murdered between 2006 and 2015. Determined avocado farmers decided to fight back.

The farmers in Tancitaro created a volunteer-based defense force because the local police weren’t offering enough protection. They created checkpoints at the town entrances and armed themselves with assault rifles. The town started patrols using pickup trucks outfitted with machine guns. These are run by the Tancitaro Public Security Force, a militia of former military personnel paid by the farmers to defend their homes, their families and their town. The farmers themselves are heavily armed with AK-47s. As a result, kidnappings and murders in the town have gone down to a large extent.

The reduction in drug-related crime has allowed the city of Tancitaro to thrive, allowing for more development and construction to take place. It is crazy to learn what some farmers have to go through to get you’re your guacamole.

It makes you ask yourself what would you do to protect your town. Please share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.