MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Mexico's president says the country's drug cartels are moving beyond their usual stock-in-trade toward being the de-facto government in areas they control.
Speaking at an anti-crime conference, Felipe Calderon says gangs are imposing fees like taxes in towns they dominate, extorting money from both legitimate and unauthorized businesses.
He says their activity "defies the government, and even seeks to replace the government." Calderon says the cartels want a monopoly by force of arms and will even make their own laws.
Calderon said cartels may even be taking money from churches and that drugs are becoming less of a focus for the gangs, giving way to simply dominating others.
Calderon says suggestions he leave the cartels alone is an "unacceptable option."
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