1. Drug smugglers from Mexico move into NM
town
In this April 21, 2009 photo, new Police Chief Angelo
Vega talks in front of the city hall in Columbus, …
By ALICIA A. CALDWELL, Associated Press Writer Alicia A. Caldwell, Associated Press Writer – 48 mins ago
COLUMBUS, N.M. – This dusty little border town with almost no visible means of support has
been seeing something of a boom in the past year: Brand-new Lincoln Navigators and Cadillac
Escalades with flashy wheel rims are parked just off the bleak main drag. Homes are selling
quickly, sometimes for cash.
The source of this sudden wealth? An influx of Mexican drug smugglers, investigators say.
The smugglers are fleeing the Mexican army's occupation of the town of Palomas, on the other
side of the U.S.-Mexico border fence, and settling in Columbus, where there has been a law
enforcement vacuum. The four-man police force in Columbus has turned over seven times in
three years because of scandal or apathy.
"We know the names of the people," said Luna County Sheriff Raymond Cobos, who is based in
Deming, 35 miles away. "I know that if I were a person involved in criminal activity, whether it's
drug-related, human smuggling related, I certainly would welcome the absence of police."
So far, Columbus has been spared any violence, even though the sheriff's investigators estimate
10 percent of the population of 2,000 may be involved in illegal activity.
"I would say greater," said resident Robert Odom. "If a person wanted to, they could make a good
living in Columbus — not legally, but they can make a lot of money if they are willing to risk going
to jail."

2. Ranches and farms in the area are the largest legitimate employers, along with the few shops
and cafes in town. Officially, the median income is less than $15,000 a year, a sum that is hard to
reconcile with the sudden prosperity around town.
"There's a lot of people who don't work but have a lot of possessions," Odom said, adding that he
often spots local teens driving fancy new cars. "They have hubcaps that cost more than my
truck."
Real estate agent Martha Skinner, a former Columbus mayor, said she had her best year in 2008,
selling about $500,000 in property in town, some to locals, some to Mexican buyers. The median
home value in Columbus is about $52,000.
She said she had a few cash transactions where she couldn't help thinking, "Well, where did they
get this money?"
Some residents and local officials say that without the illegal cash, the town might not survive.
Last month, Columbus got a new police chief, Angelo Vega, who said any illegal activity will be
met with jail time. "This is a new day for Columbus," he declared.
In Palomas, the Mexican army took over law enforcement a year ago after the local police force
was driven out by the drug dealers.
The Columbus police department has been in disarray too, plagued with unqualified officers and
allegations of wrongdoing. One chief was arrested on gun theft charges that were later dropped,
and two others were never certified police officers.
Working from a temporary trailer with wood paneling and cracked linoleum floors, Vega may be
fighting an uphill battle. Around Columbus, some townspeople don't see a problem.
"Criminals don't live here," said Maria Gutierrez, the 48-year-old owner of the Pancho Villa Cafe,
where menus include a wanted poster for the Mexican outlaw whose 1916 raid on the United
States took place on this patch of desert. "The problem is in Palomas. It's serene here. It's
tranquil here."
It is not clear whether the smugglers are legal or illegal immigrants, but local law enforcement
authorities say that's not their business, it's the federal government's. And townspeople don't
seem to care either way.

3. Odom said he suspects that the crime plaguing much of Mexico — more than 10,700 people
have been killed since Mexico's president cracked down on the drug trade after taking office in
2006 — hasn't crossed into Columbus because the smugglers living here don't want to draw any
heat from U.S. authorities.
But the sheriff said things could erupt at any time.