Mexico's drug war bright spot hides dark underbelly

Police officers arrive at a crime scene in a neighborhood in Ciudad Juarez November 12, 2012. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico (Reuters) - Inside a notorious Mexican prison where armed convicts used to roam freely, selling drugs and deciding who was allowed in, the state is in control again. Prisoners are back in their cells and the once overcrowded complex sparkles with cleanliness.

But outside on the dusty streets of Ciudad Juarez, store owners lock themselves behind their doors, fearful of police and carefully vetting customers to avoid becoming the next victims of still rampant crime.