The Gulf Cartel instituted a tax against homeowners in the Mexican border city of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, for the right to have trees on their property. The government-protected criminal organization has a long history of being able to operate with complete impunity in that city.
This month, gunmen from the Matamoros faction of the Gulf Cartel, known as Ciclones, began visiting homeowners throughout the city and telling them that they would have to pay 100 pesos, or approximately $5 a month, per large tree that provides shade at their homes. Those not paying the monthly tax must cut down trees or face consequences.
Breitbart Texas learned that this practice was already in place in the cities of Valle Hermoso and Rio Bravo, both in Tamaulipas, and
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