CU reinforced against drug dealing

It's back to normal at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) , and more than 350 thousand students of the academic year 2017-2018 are witness to the reinforced security measures and installations in several areas within the University City (CU) campus. Despite all this, drugs continue to be sold at the handball area of CU.

During a walk through the University facilities, EL UNIVERSAL observed the presence of at least 12 drug dealers on campus , who have set shop in the area known as Los Frontones (Handball Court), offering cannabis and crack, despite the fact that three cars of the security department were at 50 meters from them, and that a metal fence was installed here.

Just behind the Faculty of Accounting and Administration, where students and older people play handball, there are a couple of trees to with a banner tied to them, reading “This area will be rehabilitated for the benefit and enjoyment of college students.” A couple of boys – less than 20 – asked me if I'd like to buy drugs.

“Buy some, man. How much do you want?” one of them asks with confidence.

When asked about the price per gram of cannabis, he inquires as to the type of yerba I want: “I have the golden, cheap stuff, or hash.”

I tell him I want $ 150 Mexican pesos (8.3 USD) and the dealer takes out a bag full of cannabis and weights it on his small electrical scale.

“Don't you want to buy more, man?” he says, while he holds out a joint, inviting me to smoke and “check out” the quality of his stuff; that the one he smokes is the same he sells.

Despite security car 44 of the UNAM drives at less than 10 meters from us, the young man tells me he can also sell me crack. I ask him how much can he sell, and he replies “As much crack as you can buy.”

The transaction is conducted while a banner hangs in the background, from the building of the National School of Social Work (ENTS). It reads: “A goya (classic cheer of the University) for those seeking knowledge and not drugs”, which is part of the campaign #UnGoyaPara , which aims to promote values against drug consumption within the facilities, sexism, and abuse at schools.

Report & Intelligence Works

UNAM authorities claim the institution will continue with their report and intelligence works to fight this situation, although they acknowledge this issue won't end in just one day. It's a long process and the purpose of the University is to protect their areas and look after their community.

The area known as Los Bigotes, next to the Universidad subway station, has been reported as a drug dealing point, controlled by dealers on bikes, allegedly linked to the criminal gang led by El Ojos in Tlahuac. The area is now fenced and a dozen of workers are building what is to be a guard booth, according to the workers themselves.

Last June 23, EL UNIVERSAL reported that drug dealers at CU obtained profits of more than 100 thousand Mexican pesos per day from the sale of cannabis, cocaine, crystal meth, LSD, hashish and ecstasy ( tacha in Mexico).

The University informed that during the summer break holidays, they would implement the Comprehensive Program on Security and Rehabilitation of Areas for the Community to reinforce street lights, particularly in the areas surrounding the faculty of Philosophy and Letters, Sciences, Political Sciences and at the stadium Tapatío Mendez, together with the areas of Los Frontones and Los Bigotes.

They also said they would install a metal fence of one kilometer and a half at several of the areas mentioned above.

The routes towards the bus stops of the Pumabus transport system, which transits across the campus, were also reinforced with additional street lights and 60 emergency buttons which are connected to the General Directorate of Prevention and Civil Protection.

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