ANTIDRUG STRIDES IN MEXICO

Mexico's antidrug forces, once scorned as corrupt and ineffective, have had
a string of successes that could make them the envy of their US counterparts.

Major drug kingpins have either been eliminated or captured, and officials
have seized massive quantities of cocaine and other substances. The US
antidrug chief, John Walters, has gone so far as to say, "They are ahead of
us in attacking this problem."

Considering the persistent nature of the problem, however, such statements
may be a bit hyperbolic. Experts worry that the breakup of major Mexican
cartels, like Tijuana's Arellano Felix gang, will cause a decentralization
of narcotics trafficking into smaller units (see story).

That could present law enforcement with a new set of challenges. But the
brightest side of these developments is the evidence that Mexican law
enforcement may finally be ready to meet such challenges.

Under President Vicente Fox, there have been strong thrusts against police
corruption, often linked to the drug trade.

US officials acknowledge the progress, noting they can now work closely
with Mexican officers without worrying that shared intelligence will end up
on a drug lord's desk. The US has already assured Mexico it will be
"certified" this year as an active partner in the war against narcotics.

Indeed, the hope on both sides of the border should be that the
increasingly effective antidrug cooperation will grow to the point where
the certification process, with its threat of economic sanctions, can be
dispensed with. It has been an unnecessary irritant in US-Latin American
relations.