Mexican cartels smuggle oil to US

Published 11 August 2009

Mexican drug cartel have a new revenue stream: they siphon oil from Mexican government pipelines and smuggle it into the U.S., where the oil is sold to refineries

U.S. Justice Department officials say U.S. refineries are buying stolen oil siphoned from Mexican government pipelines and smuggled across the border — in some cases by drug cartels.

AP reports that U.S. and Mexican law enforcement officials are working together to track the stolen oil, which is hauled by tanker and barge into the United States. The U.S. government plans to hand over $2.4 million to Mexico on Tuesday following a joint investigation.

Mexican authorities in April seized $46 million from the Zetas, a group of hit men tied to the Gulf Cartel, that they say came from selling stolen oil.