Mexico's war with drug thugs pushing them away from Houston

Houston Chronicle:Mexico's war on drug cartels might not change how much cocaine flows into the United States, but U.S. officials say Houston, long a major transshipment point for the underworld, could get a break as smugglers evade soldiers and police near the border. A recent analysis by the National Drug Intelligence Center contends pressure by Mexican President Felipe Calderon on areas across the Rio Grande from South Texas may force drug traffickers to reroute smuggling pipelines, at least for the short term. That would mean they'd be likely looking west to find holes in the U.S.-Mexico border and away from traditional routes that push tons of illegal drugs through an area that hugs the Gulf Coast, from Kenedy County to near the Louisiana border. "What we are seeing is a temporary shift," said Stan Furce, director of a... [read full story]