Border Crossers Driving Armored Vehicles for Better Protection


Aired 4/19/09



Source file.

Above: A car armoring business in Tijuana is fortifying 10 cars a month, on average, with materials tough enough to repel machine gun fire. Clients come from San Diego and Tijuana. They want to protect themselves from being kidnapped and or killed as the drug war rages along the border. ––– Un promedio de 10 autos al mes son blindados en esta fabrica en Tijuana. La mayorí­a de sus clientes son residentes de ambos lados de la frontera, preocupados por los niveles de inseguridad, el narcotráfico y los secuestros. Su propietario asegura que cuando aumentan los crimenes de alto impacto también se incrementa su trabajo.

— The battle between drug cartels in Tijuana has been so gruesome and so brazen recently, at times, it seems like something out of a movie. Some of the vehicles people have begun driving, in attempt to stay safe south of the border, also seem like they're straight off the big screen. KPBS Border Reporter Amy Isackson joins us this morning to talk about these cars that people on both sides of the border are buying.

Click on the audio player to hear the interview, or on the video thumbnail to view the video.

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