Mexico corruption cleanup showing resultsDEA chief

By Jeff Franks

HOUSTON (Reuters) Mexico's efforts to clean up corruption in its war on
drugs are beginning to produce a few honest cops, but questions remain
about how successful the campaign will be, Drug Enforcement Administration
chief Thomas Constantine said Thursday.

It will likely take 20 years to develop a credible antidrug agency after
so many decades of police corruption in Mexico, he told reporters.

``I tell you, it's a fragile situation,'' Constantine said.

But, he said, ``We're seeing, since March, some special, select units that
have been aggressive, and honest, that are working with us on joint
issues...some decent people, who want to do the right thing.''

Mexico's war on drugs hit bottom in February when its top drug fighter,
Gen. Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo, was arrested on charges he took money from
drug cartels in exchange for protection. Other officials have also been
implicated.

As a result, Mexico dismantled its main drugfighting agency and replaced
it with another with tougher standards to ferret out corruption.

``It's the first steps. What you are talking about in my estimation is, at
the very minimum, a 10year program, and probably, realistically, a 20year
program...to strengthen the law enforcement institutions,'' Constantine said.

He said the honest Mexican drug units had helped the DEA capture fugitives
and notified the U.S. about the July 4 death of drug kingpin Amado Carrillo
Fuentes during plastic surgery.

``They notified us immediately, brought our people to the scene, allowed us
to view the body...they've tried to help us again and again,'' he said.

Constantine, like many drug agents, has been critical of Mexico in the
past. After the arrest of Gutierrez Rebollo, Constantine told the U.S.
Congress: ``There is not one single law enforcement institution in Mexico
with whom the DEA has an entirely trusting relationship.''

While the situation has improved slightly, he said Mexico's seriousness
about the drug war would be judged by results.

``I'm the kind of person whose very much a believer in results. Success
will be the arrest of the leadership (of the Mexican drug cartels),'' he said.

Constantine said Carrillo Fuentes' death touched off a bloody succession
struggle that has not yet ended. A number of people linked to the drug lord
have been killed in the border city of Ciudad Juarez, his base of
operations, in recent weeks.

``It stops when a new leader establishes dominance,'' Constantine said. ``I
don't think that's happened yet. I still think they have major problems.''

He was in Houston to dedicate a building to the memory of two DEA agents,
Larry Carwell and Frank Wallace, who died in the line of duty.

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