THE United States’ crackdown on Mexican drug cartels has put Spring Break revelers in danger as rival gangs battle for power in tourist hotspots, a former Drug Enforcement Agent has warned.

President Donald Trump‘s ironclad approach against Mexican drug cartels has forced the Mexican government’s hand in cracking down on powerful criminal syndicates, carrying out high-level arrests, extraditions, and conducting drug lab busts and seizures.

Trump’s executive order designating eight Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and his tariff threats against Mexico have led to a crackdown on fentanyl production in Sinaloa state, the home of the most powerful criminal organization, the Sinaloa Cartel.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has intensified the government’s offense against drug cartels, and moved on February 27 to hand over nearly 30 suspected cartel figures to the United States.

The unusual handover included former Guadalajara Cartel boss Rafael Caro Quintero; former Juarez drug cartel leader Vicente Carrillo Fuentes; and Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, the brother of Mexico’s most-wanted drug lord, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes.

Stacy Zinn, a retired DEA official who spent nearly 23 years at the agency, said the unprecedented action against drug syndicates has caused a lot of uncertainty for how Mexican cartels will react.

“Mexico is a hot potato right now with cartels being labeled as terrorist organization affiliates,” Zinn told The U.S. Sun.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty of how the Mexican cartels are going to react.

“We’ve seen an uptick in violence. There was more of cartel versus cartel type situations but Americans or travelers can still get caught up in the crossfire of the rival members, who are trying to establish new boundaries.

“The more that we arrest individuals and they get extradited back up to the United States, the more of a void it leaves in Mexico, which means that people are going to be dying for positioning and see the uptick.”

Zinn warned that vacation hubs like Cancun, in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, are hot spots for drug trafficking because of its shipping dock.

“[Americans] need to be aware of their surroundings, they have simple burglaries, robberies, assaults, and stuff,” the former DEA agent said.

“So, they have to be aware of getting into taxis, traveling off the beaten path. That is where vacationers can run into problems.

“The State Department does a really good job of highlighting the areas in different places, such as Cancun or other vacation hotspots, of what is the violence level within a certain period time frame because any type of port city like Cancun is, that’s where we know that shipments of drugs come in.

“So, if you have cartels dying for proposition, it just escalates violence taking place.”

Nearly six million Americans fly to Cancun, Mexico, each year with the most busiest time being Spring Break, according to Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection.

Zinn added, “But your normal tourists just needs to keep their money close to them, do not wear flashy jewelry, do not have an ‘I love Texas’ T-shirt.

“Also, even though the cartels are money-driven, they also make their money on kidnapping.

Mexico is a hot potato right now with cartels being labeled as terrorist organization affiliates.

Stacy Zinn, former DEA agent

“So, if they see an opportunity to kidnap an American that has known wealth, they’re going to be more of a target than the normal person.”

Zinn also cautioned tourists against excessive alcohol intake, “So, if like a group of girls, if you’re going out with a group of girls, do not leave your drinks sitting.

“You run into the bathroom, have someone watch your drink. Carry your drink with you because you have the re-emergence of date rape drugs coming into play in different areas.”

However, Zinn warned vacationers not to experiment with drugs, “If people want to participate in party drugs like cocaine, always remember that fentanyl powder is just like cocaine.

“So, if there’s a mixture and you try it one time, it can kill you that first time.

“That’s a problem with using cocaine now and cocaine is really available in the Latin America areas.

“So, I just caution individuals, the days of recreational drugs, of just partying with people, those are long gone.”

PINK PARTY DRUG

In recent months, the DEA has sent out warnings about the latest party drug hitting the streets of America – “tusi” also known as “pink cocaine.”

The drug is recognizable due to its attractive bright pink color; however, Zinn warned of the drug’s psychedelic effects.

“With Tusi, the mixture of psychoactive drugs and in cocaine and stuff like that, you don’t know how your body is going to react to it,” said Zinn.

“Cocaine is an upper, but if you’re also hallucinating or you’re having some type of hallucinogenic reaction or some type of mind altering reaction, again, you don’t know how your body can handle it.

“It doesn’t matter sometimes on weight, it’s how your brain receptors respond to the actual drugs.

“That’s what makes it very dangerous is because it can look harmless, it’s powder cocaine that’s pink.

“The pink is a food coloring, it’s making it more attractive, and it will speed up your heart rate. It can consist of ketamine.

“That’s a problem because if it’s got ketamine that means your system is then going back down.”

“For women, it’s not a good drug to participate with because you can get in a situation if your system is crashing, then if you have a predator that has given this to you, then it can lead to sexual assault and stuff.”

Zinn stressed that Tusi’s ingredients differ in each country in Central and South America, but the extra ingredients makes the drug more dangerous.