10/16: GA street gangs going after cartel cash, drugs

GEORGIA: Street gangs go after cartel cash and drugs, increasing risk for law enforcement

Gang investigators in the state say that Mexican drug trafficking organizations are becoming targets of criminal street gangs.

The danger has increased for law enforcement officers, as cartels are arming themselves more heavily to deter the thefts. A small number of reporters were allowed to attend this month's Georgia Gang Investigators Association meeting – which is usually private – on the condition that they not identify the gang behind a string of recent drug rip-offs or disclose its country of origin.

Investigators said the Latino street gang that has been targeting Mexican cartels in the metro Atlanta area is violent, brash and increasing in numbers.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Foreclosures up 22% in September

ARKANSAS: No change on math scores for fourth, eighth graders

FLORIDA: State may ban both paper and plastic bags

KENTUCKY: State gets a 'D' on protecting children's legal rights

LOUISIANA: Interracial couple denied marriage license in state

MISSISSIPPI: State plans more budget cuts for 2010

NORTH CAROLINA: Baptist preacher plans to burn Bibles on Halloween

SOUTH CAROLINA: State's jobless fund is running out of money

TENNESSEE: Jobless rate in state drops to 10.5%

VIRGINIA: State's infrastructure gets poor rating

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