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Folk religion with deadly rituals raises safety concerns for law enforcement
Key Excerpts from Article on Website of ABC News (Austin, Texas affiliate)
Posted: July 30th, 2017
http://www.kvue.com/news/local/growing-folk-religion-raises-...
The Pew Research Center estimates about six percent of the world's population - approximately 405 million people - follow folk religions. Santa Muerte, which translates to Holy Death and "Saint Death" is among those folk religions growing in popularity in Central Texas. The folk saints image is that of a robed skeleton. Santa Muerte is becoming a prominent source of faith among drug traffickers and violent criminals, which is why many narcotics officers feel the public and law enforcement alike should beware. "We're seeing more and more criminals that are praying to Santa Muerte, says Robert Almonte, who was an El Paso narcotics detective. "Officers are entering homes on drug search warrants and they're encountering elaborate Santa Muerte shrines, Almonte says. "They believe that the more sacrifice, the more gorier [sic] or intense the sacrifice - the better off they'll be with the Santa Muerte," said the undercover officer. The Mexican government reports La Familia/Knights Templar has sacrificed humans in their rituals. In 2008, Gulf Cartel members kidnapped rival Sinaloa Cartel members ... took the Sinaloa members to public Santa Muerte shrines and executed [them]. The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin released in 2014 suggests it was an offering to Santa Muerte. Of greatest concern, the ... ritualistic killings associated with this cult could cross the border and take place in the United States. It has, according to these government reports. Three confirmed deaths in the United States involve sacrifices to Santa Muerte.
Note: Ritual abuses and killings are rarely reported by mainstream media. Cartel violence and the Drug War "has left more than 175,000 people dead over the last 10 years" according to this Los Angeles Times article.
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