Brutal Mexican cartels build monster trucks with machine gun turrets - Telegraph - Telegraph

Feb 19, 2025

The world's deadliest drug cartels have taken the concept of monster trucks to a terrifying level by transforming them into armored vehicles armed with machine guns.

These heavily armed vehicles are used in battles between cartels and police or rival groups. They are known as "monstruos", "rinocerontes" or "narcotanques". Cartels aim to demonstrate their dominance and intimidate their opponents.

The evolution of these armored trucks reflects the growing violence in Mexico's drug cartel wars and their ability to outmaneuver authorities. These vehicles and other advanced weapons such as rocket launchers and sniper rifles show the increasing sophistication of the cartels and the imitation of special forces tactics, reports the Telegraph.

Armored trucks have appeared in the last decade, with the inclusion of former elite soldiers in the ranks of the cartels. Seizures of these trucks reveal regions where cartel activities predominate. Despite the unauthorized armoring of the vehicles, production of these trucks remains strong.

They are usually made from standard pickup trucks or larger vehicles, and cartels customize them with extravagant features, including bulletproof tires and turrets.

However, these trucks have drawbacks, being slow and challenging to maneuver, especially in urban areas, reports themirror.

He compared armed cartel groups to commando-style units, aiming to replicate the tactics, weaponry and appearance of elite forces. The use of these heavily armed and customized trucks, along with other advanced weapons, demonstrates the increasing sophistication of the cartels and their willingness to compete with the country's elite forces.

The federal attorney general's office in Tamaulipas, a Mexican state across the border from Texas, announced that it had seized and destroyed 14 monster trucks in June. Additionally, the state prosecutor's office in Tamaulipas stated a year ago that more than 260 armored trucks had been destroyed by authorities since 2019.

Cartel operations in Tamaulipas are thriving or resurgent, and modified vehicles are seen as a risk to community safety, especially near the border. The presence of these heavily armed trucks in the state underscores the ongoing challenges Mexican authorities face in fighting drug cartels and maintaining security in the region.

Despite their limitations, these vehicles have symbolic importance for the cartels and serve as a status symbol. They often appear on social media, showing their power and attracting attention. /Telegraph/

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