US, Mexico plan anti-drug drive: report

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US government is closing in on a deal with Mexico to launch a major fight against the violent drug cartels there, a report said Wednesday.

Negotiators on both sides are close to agreeing a US aid package for Mexico which would include telephone-tapping equipment and radars to track traffickers as they ship the drugs, the Washington Post reported, citing US lawmakers and Mexican authorities.

Mexico is a major hub for trafficking drugs, including Colombian cocaine, to the United States. It has been plagued by violence involving the cartels which has left thousands dead in the past year, including dozens of police.