Feature: Security industry thrives in drug-ravaged Mexico

Three thousand-dollar coats that can stop bullets from a 9mm pistol and armored cars that can withstand the firepower of AK-47 rifles have become staple luxuries for Mexican tycoons and government officials who can afford them.

Thanks to the government's war on drugs during the past decade, several top drug lords are now behind bars and a couple of cartels have been disbanded. But smaller, often more violent criminal groups have surfaced, and they are involved not just in drug trafficking, but also kidnapping,extortion and other crimes.

With public security forces unable to preserve the peace, vulnerable Mexicans are turning to the security industry for protection.

Bulletproof garments and armored vehicles are in high demand, proving that the war not only continues, but grows ever bloodier.

"In Latin America, the sale of civilian protective gear has increased significantly. Demand for bulletproof vests and private bodyguards has also grown by a large margin. We have seen a huge potential market for our business," said Oscar Loaiza, director of Miguel Caballero, a manufacturer of bulletproof clothing in Mexico.

Mexico has been ravaged by rampant drug trafficking due to its long, shared border with the United States and the insatiable appetite for drugs from Latin America.

Since former President Felipe Calderon took office in 2006, the government has waged a massive military campaign to eradicate the drug cartels. As many as 50,000 troops were deployed at a time to tackle the problem.

But the war raged on, claiming the lives of at least 70,000 people and leading to the disappearance of more than 20,000 others.

"It is a crushing blow," Calderon once said via Twitter, acknowledging the omnipotence of the cartels.

After Enrique Pena Nieto succeeded Calderon in 2012, the anti-drug campaign gained momentum through separate but coordinated efforts between the military forces and intelligence services.

The strategy worked to a degree as kingpins topping the government's most wanted list were captured.

Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman Loera, considered the most powerful drug trafficker in the world by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and named the 10th richest man in Mexico in 2011, was finally arrested on Feb. 22, 2014. His reign of terror led to the deaths of tens of thousands of Mexicans.

On Feb. 27, Servando "The Prof" Gomez Martinez, a former teacher and founding member of La Familia Michoacana drug cartel and leader of the Knights Templar Cartel, was captured, followed by the capture of the boss of the notoriously bloodthirsty Zetas drug gang, Omar Trevino Morales, on March 4.

The government hailed the arrests as decisive blows against drug trafficking, but in response to the crackdown, some of the bigger drug cartels disintegrated into smaller groups. With a simpler organizational structure, it became easier for them to hide from the law.

What's worse is that they not only went about their traditional drug business, but diversified into other crimes.

According to a report compiled by the Mexican National Security Council in 2008, more than 1,000 cases of kidnapping were reported in 2007, twice as many as in 2006.

Experts maintain that the sharp increase in kidnappings was the byproduct, to some extent, of the government's effective anti-drug campaign, which disrupted the criminal gangs' core business, leading them to robbery, kidnapping and extortion.

Given the rampant crimes, Mexicans from all walks of life fear they can fall victim, from politicians to business leaders, ordinary housewives and their maids.

Kidnapping is no longer a crime that targets only the rich. "Express kidnappings" have grown exponentially, and an abducted family member can be killed for the delayed delivery of a ransom as low as hundreds of U.S. dollars.

The war on drugs would be hard to fight anywhere, but Mexico is additionally hampered by weak legal and public safety institutions that are vulnerable to corruption.

"From the recent abduction and massacre of 43 students (in Guerrero state), we can conclude after careful analysis that the ... problem was with the police. It was the result of systematic corruption. The mayor and the local police chief's collusion with the gangsters caused the tragedy," said security expert Francisco Ramirez Morena.

The cold reality that the police force cannot be trusted has led a large number of rich Mexicans to turn to the private sector for protection.

Dozens of security companies and consultants flocked to the annual Security Fair in Mexico City, held each April, to tout their products and services to potential customers.

Loaiza was among them, looking to drum up business for his company.

In 2007, when Loaiza set up the exclusive business, he mainly supplied standard bulletproof vests for Mexican security forces, which accounted for 60 percent of his total sales. Today, high-end jackets for rich families have become his mainstay.

Armored vehicles have also come into vogue, but only for those who can afford such a luxury.

At Mexico City's WBA Factory, workers dismantle, reinforce and reassemble automobiles. When finished, a vehicle can weigh an additional 700 kilograms, but has blast-proof flooring, 3cm windows and body armor. These cars can withstand the firepower of an AK-47 automatic rifle.

The customized car business has a problem to overcome.

Due to the gangsters' zeal to refit their own vehicles, the government has passed a law restricting refitting to law-abiding citizens only.

"This law forces us to conduct an in-depth background check on customers and make a monthly report. We inquire into a lot of information before refitting a car," said Mauricio Garibay, WBA's Marketing manager.

Every year, only 2,200 cars out of around 1 million new cars are refitted for security purposes in Mexico.

About 90 percent of the victims of drug-related crimes in Mexico are members of cartels. The rest are innocent civilians.

Most violent incidents occur in northwest states that border the U.S., but the impact generally extends nationwide.

While most areas of Mexico still enjoy peace and tranquility, the general sense of safety has been shattered, the economy has been hit hard and the tourism industry is suffering. Mexico has a long way to go to curb the scourge and restore social order, according to analysts. Endi