Mexico City, December 21 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Mexican drug traffickers are turning Mexico City into a war zone, a statement strengthened by reports that four buildings have been raided by heavily armed men. In three cases, they stormed buildings in plush neighborhoods of the capital claiming they were the new owners.

According to Mexican La Jornada newspaper, they were successful in at least one case, as the alleged drug traffickers determine which buildings are under litigation to determine who the real owner is.
    
In a fourth case, 30 heavily armed men raided a building with the sole intent of robbing everyone in the building, and the result was they left with about US$60,000 in goods they ripped off from the residents of the building located in the upper-class neighborhood of Hipodromo Condesa.

As usual, the capital's governor Miguel Mancera denied that any drug cartels were involved in the raids, a statement that has been refuted on many occasions with solid and conclusive proof that drug cartels have been moving in on Mexico City for decades.
  
La Jornada said that there is evidence that indicates that the organized groups behind the expropriation of buildings are from “another state of the country whose intentions are to take over the street sale of drugs from the hands of other organizations.”

“These are grave incidents that require the full attention of the local, state and federal authorities,” warned local lawmaker Alfonso Suarez, who considered that the fact that the groups are proceeding with extreme violence and that they are heavily armed, they are openly defying authority.

Suarez told La Jornada that the first building to be raided by organized crime gunmen was one located in the upper-class neighborhood Roma.

However, he added, the gunmen – who he said were being backed up by the State of Mexico security officer retrieved from the building when they realized that the residents were backed by former PRI congresswoman Alejandra Barrios and other influential politicians.
     
“A week later, in the same area, another building was violently evacuated by heavily armed men, who without a doubt local authorities know who they are,” Suarez added.

Suarez said he has no doubt that drug cartels from other Mexican states are attempting to take over control of the sale of drugs from the Tepito Group drug gang.

After assuring his administration would not allow these actions to continue, Mancer said he has no information that would indicate the armed groups are members of a drug cartel.

“I have no information that those attacking buildings are drug traffickers, and I would not like to speculate in respect to human rights,” Mancera added.

What's worse, according to La Jornada, witnesses say that police observed when the raids were taking place and did nothing to stop the assailants.

The reports of raids on buildings comes amid reports that crime, homicides, extortion and kidnapping are on the rise since President Enrique Peña Nieto took office three years ago.