meanwhile , more than 30,000 mexican citizens have died [ 40,000+ through 2011 ] in drug-related violence since 2006 , and the violence shows no signs of abating ... last patrol border patrol agent randy firth was driving down a rugged dirt path in the texas desert at midnight , patrolling a remote section of wingo reserve road near the rio grande river , which was barely a stream separating el paso from juarez mexico .