.c The Associated Press

MEXICO CITY (AP) When the man believed to be Mexico's top drug lord
died on July 4, many Mexicans feared street battles for his territory.

But a month after Amado Carrillo Fuentes' death, the war between the drug
lords hasn't materialized. Instead, a wave of violence has targeted reputed
lowlevel smugglers, lawyers and informants apparently attempts to hold
onto Carrillo's money and cover up his connections with authorities and
witnesses.

The shooting on Tuesday of Irma Ibarra Navejat, a lawyer and former beauty
queen who reportedly mediated between Mexican army officers and drug
traffickers, indicates that either cartel leaders or corrupt authorities want
to keep the drug trade quiet.

Authorities wouldn't say why they believed Ibarra Navejat was killed, but
referred the case to federal prosecutors an indication that it may involve
organized crime, drug trafficking or other federal offenses. Typically, state
officials handle murder cases.

On Tuesday night, federal police questioned a lawyer who is defending Gen.
Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo, Mexico's former drug czar, against charges of taking
bribes from Carrillo.

Witnesses allege that the lawyer, Tomas Arturo Gonzalez, tried to buy
testimony, federal prosecutors said.

Prosecutors also suggested Gonzalez paid the men who opened fire this week on
a key witness in the prosecution's case. The witness was slightly wounded.

Peter Lupsha, a New Mexicobased drug expert, said recent shootings seem to
be aimed at covering up drug connections.

The big drug lords, meanwhile, haven't gotten involved in the violence,
according to Lupsha.

Lupsha said the Tijuana cartel allegedly run by the Arellano Felix brothers
has positioned itself to take over much of Carrillo's business.

Carrillo was Mexico's reputed drug kingpin until he died at a Mexico City
hospital after undergoing plastic surgery in an apparent bid to alter his
appearance. Authorities are still investigating the circumstances.

With increased trade and good connections with police and the military
the Arellano Felix brothers have little reason to get into turf fights now.

``They will use extreme violence as necessary. They don't need to at this
time,'' Lupsha said. ``They're sitting pretty.''

A string of five drugrelated killings this month in Carrillo's home city of
Cuidad Juarez, meanwhile, doesn't appear to be a big drug war in the making.

``For us, these are isolated incidents,'' said Jose Manuel Diaz Herrera,
assistant attorney general for Chihuahua state. ``These are people who were
connected in some way to drugs, but we have no evidence linking them to any
of the big organizations.''

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