DRUG KINGPIN NABBED

Mexican officials announced last week the arrest of Benjamin Arellano
Felix, the reputed leader of a bloody and lucrative Tijuana-based drug
cartel. The Felix cartel has allegedly flooded the U.S.-Mexican border with
cocaine, methamphetamines and marijuana over the past 15 years. According
to the Mexican government, the cartel is responsible for hundreds of
drug-related deaths, including those of Mexican law enforcement agents.

The arrest of this significant player in international drug trafficking is
only a small victory in this nation's interminable war on drugs. But it is
a victory, nonetheless, and one noteworthy because of the historically
questionable resolve of the Mexican government.

The United States will not make significant headway in stemming the tide of
illegal drugs unless the Mexican government is a committed partner in
fighting drug trafficking. The arrest of Felix speaks positively of the
Mexican government's new resolve. It is due in part to U.S. pressures to
secure the border. But it is at odds with history. Drug cartels have
flourished by either buying or intimidating the Mexican government into
conceding the gateway into the lucrative U.S. market.

It is naive to think that another cartel won't eventually replace the
notorious Felix gang. However, the proper message has been sent: The
Mexican government is both committed to and capable of bringing down major
drug traffickers.