High-Priced Limes Blamed On Cartel Crime — Dave’s Diary

The Yakima City Council decided to proceed with a ban on the grow/package/sales of marijuana within the city limits and the critics all went crazy, saying we were handing the marijuana business over to the cartels.  Newsflash!  The cartels already own the marijuana business -- but that doesn’t mean they aren’t willing to branch out into other crimes, and one in particular that will leave a sour taste in your mouth -- or not.

Perhaps you've heard about the big 2014 lime shortage and have noticed there are suddenly no limes for your drink. Believe it or not, you can blame the Mexican drug cartels!  The bad guys as well as the bad weather are all having an impact on the availability of limes

As part of their lucrative shift away from drug trafficking, the Knights Templar cartel has been hijacking lime trucks in Michoacán state, the world's biggest lime producer and home state to many of the Yakima Valley’s migrant workers. The cost of extra security means the price of limes leapt from $14 a case to more than $100.

Some bars and restaurants are substituting other fruits while others have ditched limes and lime-based drinks altogether. One bar owner in Oakland, Calif., said, "I'm not playing that game. I hope Mexico has case upon case of rotting limes and the cartels are forced to sell drugs again instead of strong-arming lime farmers." In Canada, importers have switched to buying limes from Brazil, but they complain that the Brazilian limes are nowhere near as green and juicy as the Mexican variety. (New York Daily News)