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Attacks against Monterrey cops continue: 3 die

April 29, 2013, 9:00 pm
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By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

A staged car wreck in Juarez municipality in Nuevo Leon may have led to the death of three traffic cops, according to Mexican news accounts.

Saturday evening one motorcycle police agent was reportedly shot to death at a location on the road which leads to Reynosa in Juarez municipality, specifically in Garza y Garza colony with another two unidentified taxi drivers wounded.

Now it is being reported in a Monday edition of Milenio news daily that a second and third traffic police agent died at the scene.

According to the report, the three police agents killed in Garza y Garza colony were investigating a traffic accident between the drivers of two taxi cabs, when armed suspects travelling aboard a Volkswagen Golf sedan drove up and started firing.  As soon as the shooters fled the scene, the parties to the traffic accident also fled aboard a second vehicle.

The dead cops were identified as Omar Alejandro Mares Puente, Pablo Enrique Peña Blanco and José Alejandro Garcia Roch.  They are three of a traffic police squad totalling 35 in Juarez municipality.

Meanwhile in Guadalupe municipality, three other traffic police agents have been kidnapped Monday.

According to a separate report which appeared Monday in the online version of Milenio, one traffic police agent was kidnapped while investigating a traffic accident at around 1100 hrs near the intersection of calles Ruiz Cortines and Naranjo Adolfo Prieto colony. He was identified as Emilio Gámez Martínez, de 53 años.

According to the report two more traffic police agents were kidnapped near the intersection of avenidas Eloy Cavazos and Roble.  Guadalupe authorities are denying the second kidnapping.

According to several news reports Gamez Martinez was released in Doctor Gonzalez municipality unharmed later Monday afternoon.

Guadalupe municipality was the location late last Saturday night where four individuals were shot to death  in a bar called Jhonny's Place.  Two of the victims, according to a Monday afternoon report in Milenio, were identified as Ruben Salazar Rivera, 35, and Juan Carlos Vazquez Valles, 26.

Six of the wounded were identified as Raul Lopez Velasco, 24, Raul Lopez Sanchez, 43, Enrique Lopez Sanchez, 47, Ricardo Villegas Hernandez, 23, and Martin Espinoza Vazquez, 29.

According to the report, seven armed suspects after dismounting from a taxi, entered the bar and started shouting identifying themselves as members of a drug cartel before they started firing their weapons.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com and BorderlandBeat.com
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Security elements among 7 dead in plane crash in Zacatecas

April 30, 2013, 9:00 pm
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By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

Foto de Wikipedia

Seven individuals including four Mexican federal police agents were killed in an aircraft crash midday Tuesday in Zacatecas state, according to Mexican news accounts.

A news report which appeared in the onlone edition of El Siglo de Durango news daily said that the aircraft was taking off from Zacetacas airport in Zacatecas when the pilot radioed he was returning to the airport.  The aircraft was bound for Mexico City. 

The aircraft crashed in Morelos municipality just ten minutes after takeoff near an area called Noria de Gringos.  The aircraft crashed just a few kilometers from General Leobardo C. Ruiz International Airport in Calera municipality.

The agents were due to return to Mexico City Monday night at around 2255 hrs, but the aircraft was forced to return to the airport because of an unspecified mechanical problem.  The aircraft took off at 1200 hrs on Tuesday, but then crashed.

Among the dead were Antonio Andres Alvarez Mota, a ministerial agent with the Ministerio Publico de la Federacion  and affiliated with the Subprocuraduria Especializada en Investigacion en contra de la Delincuencia Organizada (SEIDO) or organized crime bureau of the Procuraduria General de la Republic (PGR), the Mexican national attorney general's office.

Also reported dead were two Policia Federal (PF) ministerial agents  Ricardo Martín Flores Benitez and Francisco Leonardo Niño Acevedo.  Another PF ministerial agent assigned to Zacatecas, Martín Antonio Gutierrez Cantu, also died in the crash.

Also dead were the pilot, Guillermo Flores Millan, the copilot Juan Manuel Garcia Bernal and a mechanic, Miguel Angel Guerrero Coliev.

The aircraft was a 1985 Kingair 300 twin engine turboprop, which belonged to the PGR.

According to the El Siglo de Durango report, the ministerial agents were in Zacatecas state to serve an arrest warrant for three alleged Los Zetas operatives identified as Juan Luis Gallegos Muro, Fernando Rodríguez Robles Zaldivar and Anacleto Flores.  The three alleged drug cartel members were sent to Centro de Reinsercion Social (CERESO) in Cieneguillas.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political new for Rantburg.com and BorderlandBeat.com
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Ines Coronel gets busted, Chapo´s father-in-law is arrested in Sonora

May 1, 2013, 12:24 am
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Borderland Beat
Ines Coronel Barrera(white hat) along his daughter Emma Coronel(crown).


Ines Coronel Barrera, 45, father-in-law of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was arrested in the city of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico. This was confirmed by the Mexican Federal Government.

Ines Coronel is the father of Emma Coronel Aispuro, 23, the third wife of Joaquin Guzman. He is considered a close relative of the late Ignacio "El Nacho" Coronel. 

Last January, Ines was added to the Office of Foreign Assets Control list, along with Damaso Lopez Nuñez aka "El Licenciado". US authorities labeled Coronel Barrera as "important member" of the Sinaloa cartel.

Mexican authorities announced in a press conference that Coronel Barrera´s arrest was the result of an investigation started last January. Coronel Barrera will be charged with multiple counts of crimes against health, including production, storage and marijuana trafficking.

According to the investigation, Coronel was in charge of marijuana production in the Durango mountains, he was also responsible for coordinating it´s traffic in the cities of San Luis Rio Colorado, Cananea and Agua Prieta, where he was captured.

Said investigation allowed Federal Agents to locate both a cellar and a house used by Coronel, two vehicles were located in those places, authorities believe the vehicles were used to smuggle drugs.

Ines Coronel was captured by Federal Police today about 7:00 AM in an operation where no shots were fired. Along Coronel Barrera, the Federal Agents captured Ines Omar Coronel Aispuro (brother-in-law of "El Chapo”), 25; Juan Elias Ruiz Beltran, 25; Jose Heriberto Beltran Cardenas, 23; and Reynaldo Rios Morales,50. Two vehicles, more than 500 lbs. of marijuana, 4 assault rifles, one handgun and hundreds of bullets were seized in this operation.

Ines Coronel Barrera at the moment of his presentation to Mexican media.


The following is a translation of the press conference Q&A session:

Q: You say his capture was the result of an investigation, could you provide more details? Was he arrested at 7:00? At what time did he arrive, let´s say, at this capital city? Can you give us more details of where is he located now? Who participated in the operation? How many elements? And what corporations? If you could provide details, please.

A:The subject arrived at Mexico City in the transport you have seen at about 4:30 PM today. The vehicles seized continue to be under military guard in Sonora; And these people, vehicles, cartridges, weapons and what appears to be marijuana will be placed at disposition of the Deputy Attorney Specialized on Investigation of Organized Crime (Subprocuraduria Especializada en Investigacion de Delincuencia ...Continued on next page

Q: I would like to ask, being father-in-law of who he is, it draws attention that he was only guarded by four people. What do you think caused this? Didn´t they try to fire their guns? Also, how much was seized? What else is he investigated for? In these months were he was investigated, what is he accused of? How much drugs did he smuggle? How much tons of drugs was he capable of trafficking?

A:Gladly. Like we´ve said before: we´re trying to lower the violence in this country. We´re also participating in that drop in violence. We try these arrest are conducted without violence from the State in order to avoid wounded people, deaths and to be able to get information from those arrested.

That’s the reason why we look at all times to act when the conditions are set in a way no violence is needed. That’s the reason why you see this people were arrested in this manner. Investigations will continue, the legal process will begin and a judge will be in charge of establishing the amount of guilt these men have.

Q: Good evening, with these captures, can we say that the circle around “El Chapo” is closing?

A:The Federal Government, like the Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong said, has identified what we call objectives. I mean, highly dangerous criminals who are located supposedly around the country, and we are at work to capture them. We are talking about 44 of them who have been neutralized, 41 arrested, 3 killed. We will keep working so these objectives can be taken down when and if the conditions are set to do so, and so we, I insist, keep walking towards the peaceful Mexico that President Enrique Peña Nieto promised at the beginning of his term.

Q: A few questions just to make sure, did this person had any arrest warrant? If he did, at any given time he will need to be placed at the disposition of a Judge. Is he going to give any legal statement? Will he be held depending on his statement? Has he already given any info that can help locating his son-in-law (“El Chapo”)? How hard is this hit against the organization and what is to be expected after the arrest of Ines Coronel?

A:This subject was captured while committing a crime, so he was arrested in consequence for his possession of assault weapons, cartridges, drugs and not because of an arrest warrant. We are forbidden from giving away details of the investigation and this person is being transferred to the previously mentioned Deputy Attorney Office, there he will be treated with respect to his human rights and we will proceed in a lawful way.

Q: Extradition?

A:I have no information about it.

Q: What level in the structure did this man have, besides being father-in-law of “El Chapo”? Trafficking marijuana doesn´t seem like having an important role in the cartel´s structure when they are already into methamphetamine and cocaine in a big way, really, what´s the level this guy has in the cartel´s structure? Since he was listed by the United Stated Government as a drug dealer in January, did you share intelligence information with them order to find him? And just to make sure, is there any petition by the Americans to extradite this man? Also, if you allow me to ask this, there´s a stir in social media stating that this could be a gift to President Obama since he is about to visit Mexico? What do you think of this?

A:As you know, the Government of President Peña Nieto started from a principle of order and a principle of coordination between Federal authorities. Here, in this occasion, I´m the one in charge of talking with you representing my fellow co-workers, be it the Internal Affairs Ministry, the National Security Council, the National Defense Ministry, the Naval Ministry, CISEN, all this Federal entities that are working in a coordinated way in order to accomplish the goal of a peaceful Mexico, to stop violence and capture the suspects attacking the population in Mexico.

As such, the intelligence information has been shared between different Government agencies, that´s what has allowed us to keep working. This time, the Federal Police has done an incredible ground work, but with complete coordination with other Federal Agencies. I must insist, I have no information right now, sure, I´ll investigate about it and will let you know if there´s any petition for this man.

I think it´s good to remember that criminals such as these, whom the Authorities have to chase, have no level, no rank, this person was dedicated to what has already been said, and it will be his duty to fight against the charges he will be facing. We caught him fragrantly, with drugs, with weapons and with the people already mentioned. Regarding his significance level inside the criminal organization, it´s not our duty to find that out. Our duty is to capture them, bring them to a Judge and they will be the ones in charge of listening to the defendants, look at evidence and impart justice.
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Knights Templar mourn their sicarios: Alcohol sales are forbidden for 2 days in Michoacán

May 2, 2013, 7:34 am
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Borderland Beat

The Knights Templar cartel distributed flyers across Michoacán telling people to unite with them on the mourning of their recently fallen members.

The flyer´s text mentions that the mourning is for those members that were killed while the Knights Templar tried to “recover their towns” taken by the Communitarian Police in Tepalcatepec, Buenavista and La Ruana..

Knights Templar flyer forbidding Alcohol sales in Michoacan.




Flyer text translation:

”Apatzingan Mich.- Good Evening, we are the Knights Templar Michoacan Guard, we inform you that due to our fallen warriors who lost their lives fighting to recover parts of our towns taken by the communitarian police, which are Tepalcatepec, Buenavista and La Ruana. We communicate to you there will be TWO DAYS OF MOURNING in which YOU CAN´T SELL any kind of alcoholic beverages in the whole Michoacan state, he who ignores this notice and is caught will be taxed or his business will be burnt LEMON CUT IS FORBIDDEN these two days so all my people can help with this petition.

ATT: Knight Templar Michoacán Guard”

The flyers began to circulate in Tierra Caliente, Apatzingan, Buena Vista, Pinzandaro, Tepalcatepec, Paracuaro, Cuatro Caminos, Nueva Italia, Uruapan, Morelia, Lazaro Cardenas and other Michoacán cities. 


Background story

La Jornada. April 28th, Morelia, Michoacán.- Members of the criminal organization known as The Knights Templar attacked this morning the communitarian guards in Tepalcatepec and Felipe Carrillo Puerto, better known as La Ruana, municipality of Buena Vista Tomatlan. The shootout ended up with at least 10 people killed and seven wounded.

Communitarian Police check point in Tepalcatepec

La Ruana´s communitarian police leader said that armed groups arrived at about 5:00 AM, these groups tried to surprise them with assault rifles, this in turn originated a shootout that lasted for about 40 minutes.

“There were four casualties on our side and four more wounded; There were several deaths on their side too, we don´t know how many”, stated the communitarian leader, he also mentioned another shootout in Pueblo Viejo, near Buena Vista in which no casualties were reported, however, Police sources claim 6 hit men died in the shootout and 3 more were wounded.

On April 10th, several lemon harvesters were attacked when they returned to La Ruana after attending an homage to Emiliano Zapata, 8 people died in that attack and 6 more were wounded.

After that shootout, in which grenades were used, the Federal Police seized four vehicles and two firearms.

The State Government claimed the Federal Attorney General Office would take care of the case. The Federal agency confirmed the shootouts, but not the number of casualties, about Tepalcatepec, they said there was a shootout that ended up without casualties.

About two months ago more than 400 citizens from Tepalcatepec, 200 from La Ruana and 70 from Buena Vista armed themselves to face the organized crime in Apatzingan´s valley.

Members of the La Ruana Communitarian Police.

The region of Tierra Caliente is a producer of livestock and lemon. Citric orchards make up for more than 70 thousand acres in the regions and almost 30 packing facilities are in charge of distributing the products. Two thirds of that production comes from Tepalcatepec and Buena Vista. The communitarian police leaders themselves claim to be ranchers and lemon growers.

“Since this movement started the harvest and packaging of lemon has been slow. We have more than one month of inactivity because the organized crime is blocking the departure of trucks. We are under pressure, but we know this had to stop, because we as ranchers and lemon growers practically worked for them, we lived under threats”, stated one of the Tepalcatepec leaders.

A mixed operations base was installed in the outskirts of Tepalcatepec in order to protect this town bordering with Jalisco, home state of the Cartel Jalisco New Generation group that is fighting for this plaza. “We are not members of any cartel. We want to live peacefully and be allowed to work”.

Sources:
http://www.sdpnoticias.com/estados/2013/05/01/caballeros-templarios-imponen-ley-seca-por-muerte-de-companeros-que-enfrentaron-a-guardias-comunitarios-en-michoacan
http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2013/04/29/estados/035n1est
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Mexican Media Fearful of Reporting on Drug War

May 2, 2013, 6:25 pm
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The United States has spent more than $1 billion supporting a war on drug cartels in Mexico.

But as US president Barack Obama heads to Mexico, the situation is still so desperate in some areas that local media are afraid to talk about it.Al Jazeera's Adam Raney reports from Reynosa in Mexico, near the US border.


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Acuña Coahuila: 8 Americans Deported

May 3, 2013, 1:54 pm
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Borderland Beat



 Mexican Border Officials Deport U.S. Citizens on Eve of Obama’s Visit
 Minutes after midnight on April 28th, eight U.S. citizens from Austin, Texas, were deported from Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, a Mexican border town opposite Del Rio, Texas. The Mexican government’s action comes a few days before President Obama’s visit to Mexico on Thursday to redefine the U.S.-Mexico relationship.
“We have organized these tours for 14 years and have never experienced anything like this. We are shocked and outraged,” said Judith Rosenberg, board president of Austin Tan Cerca de la Frontera (Austin So Close to the Border), a local non-profit.
The deported citizens were on an educational tour organized by ATCF to Ciudad Acuña to visit the offices of the CFO (Border Workers Committee), a community-based organization that defends worker and women’s rights on the Mexican side of the border.
As they were sitting down to have lunch, the delegation was surrounded by armed police, taken to the Mexican immigration office, detained and questioned for 9 hours, then deported to Del Rio.
“We were never given a clear explanation of what charges and penalties we faced. We were not provided a legal translator and were pressured to sign some document under threat of being detained for up to 90 days in Saltillo, Coahuila,” said one deportee, a student at the University of Texas at Austin.
“We got a different kind of educational experience than we expected” said one of the other deportees, Reverend Kate Rohde of Wildflower Church in Austin. “If the Mexican Government is putting this kind of pressure on church ladies and students from the U.S., just for listening to workers, it is obvious that the Mexican workers we met receive much worse treatment from their government when they ask for humane working conditions and wages.
We hope that President Obama will raise the issue of worker justice and independent unions when he meets with Mexico’s President.”
The group sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry and President Obama asking for their assistance in this matter.

[Source: press release from trusted source, contact Josefina Castillo @ atcf.org]

 Source: FreeAcuña also tweeted this story
Thank you once again Lacy!
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Zacatecas Balacera: Zetas Regional Chief Killed in Fresnillo

May 4, 2013, 4:02 am
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Borderland Beat

Thursday night into Friday was another episode of terror as clashes between Golfo and Zetas cartels, the Mexican Army and SEDENA erupted in several points of the Zacatecas city of Fresnillo. 
The shootout lasted hours reportedly passed through;  Paseo de El Mineral,  la avenida Huicot before advancing to colonias Plutarco Elías Calles, Lomas de Plateros, Ampliación Azteca and Emiliano Zapata among others. 

A barrage of calls to the 066 emergency system was made by citizens awakened in the various areas by gun blasts.  Not until 2 hours into the conflict a Special Forces convoy arrived to give support to soldiers.
The gunfire ceased at approximately 1:40 am on the road leading to the town of Valparaiso.
Zetas and the Golfo Cartels are vying for Fresnillo.

While officials did not give a number of dead and wounded, it was confirmed that a leader of the Zetas was killed, David Alexander Loreto, aka “El Diablo”, the regional chief of the plaza in Zacatecas, Nuevo Laredo and Coahuila, also killed was identified only as “El Gordo Chaires", known to be Zetas Fresnillo chief.

In related news Zac reports the following:
“Just yesterday "unidades regionales de seguridad" were inaugurated in Rïo Grande and Villa de Cos, north and east from Fresnillo respectively, good thing because they are covering heated areas, there´s another one under construction in Sombrerete (where there were reports of shootings last night too, but no confirmation or any press note about it) and another one being built in Malpaso (south of the capital), so once all these are operative looks like many of the heated areas should have much more protection, the exception being the west side of the state, Villanueva comes to mind since a lot has been happening in that area”
 
 
Sources: Zac, El Sol Zacatecas, Lacy
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US DOJ goes after drug lords operating in Tijuana; Major Traffickers Task Force is created.

May 4, 2013, 7:27 pm
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Borderland Beat.


United States federal authorities are offering rewards in exchange of information that leads to the capture of the main traffickers operating in Southern California and the north area of Baja California, among these are: Joaquin Guzman Loera aka “El Chapo”; Fernando Sanchez Arellano aka “El Ingeniero”; Alfonzo Arzate Garcia aka “El Aquiles”; Rene Arzate Garcia aka “La Rana”; Ismael Zambada Garcia aka “El Mayo” and Jose Antonio Soto Gastelum aka “El Tigre”.

The amount of the rewards will vary depending on the relevance of the information. The information can be provided by either a phone number or an e-mail address which will be operated a special task force consisting of agents of both the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

These new rewards were created after federal agents came to the conclusion that Tijuana and San Diego were still under the threats of violent organized crime organizations and after they  got evidence pointing to the resurgence of the Tijuana cartel now led by Fernando Sanchez Arellano and associated with Jose Manuel Lopez Nuñez aka “El Balas”, Lopez Nuñez was arrested by former Tijuana Police Chief Julian Leyzaola in 2008 but was set free in 2011 in Mexico City.

Authorities also alerted the birth of new criminal organizations like the ones led by Jose Antonio Soto Gastelum aka “El Tigre”; Alfonzo Arzate Garcia aka “El Aquiles”; Rene Arteaga Garcia aka “La Rana” and Miguel Angel Treviño aka “Z-40”.(Note: This is the first time I hear of anything related to Los Zetas in this area)

According to US federal authorities, for more than 20 years, the Arellano Felix Cartel has built and keeps an empire of illegal drugs using kidnappings, torture, murder and corruption as their tools.

The effects of this organization have been seen across the US, but mainly in San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico.
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In 1995, the DEA, FBI and the United States Attorney General, along with other local, state and federal agencies united with the goal of dismantling the leadership of the Arellano Felix Cartel, this led to the arrest of Benjamin Arellano Felix in Puebla Mexico and his extradition to the United States in 2012.

In 2006 Francisco Javier Arellano Felix was arrested in open sea, and in 2008 Eduardo Arellano Felix was captured in his home located in Tijuana, Mexico. Both of these men have been extradited to the US.

Gustavo Rivera Martinez aka “El P1” was arrested in Baja California Sur while on vacation; his extradition is pending approval from the Mexican Government.

“Now, the residents of San Diego and Tijuana continue to be threatened by violent criminal organizations like the Tijuana Cartel led by Fernando Sanchez Arellano and his Associate Jose Manuel Lopez Nuñez aka “El Balas” states the bulletin issued last Friday.

The criminal organizations have created alliances which in turn have made them more dangerous, unpredictable and holders of massive mobilization power.

In order to fight these threats, the Major Traffickers Task Force was created; this group is based in San Diego and is under the DEA and FBI charge.

The new toll-free number is 855-780-1908, the new e-mail address is DTOTIPS@USDOJ.GOV. Rewards will be given for information that leads to arrest and seizures.  

Backgound information


Joaquin Guzman Loera aka “El Chapo”: Most likely the most known trafficker in the world, “El Chapo” was born in La Tuna, Badiraguato, Sinaloa. He began his criminal career in the “Guadalajara cartel” led by Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo, after Felix Gallardo´s capture, “El Chapo” allied himself with Amado Carrillo of the Juarez Cartel. In the 90´s Joaquin Guzman launched a war for Tijuana against the Arellano Felix brothers. In 1993 Guzman was captured in Guatemala after he fled Mexico fearing a possible capture or assassination by the Tijuana Cartel.

In 2001, after he practically owned the Puente Grande Federal Prison, Guzman Loera escaped and returned to the leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel alongside Ismael Zambada Garcia aka “El Mayo”.



Ismael Zambada Garcia aka “El Mayo”: Ismael Zambada was born in El Alamo, Sinaloa. Zambada Garcia has been in the drug business since 1964. Just like “El Chapo”, Zambada was at some time part of the Guadalajara and Juarez cartels before creating what now is known as the Sinaloa cartel. “El Mayo” and his lieutenants have been in Tijuana in some way or another since the 80´s. When the war against the Tijuana Cartel began, he fled the city, however his employees have been there for a long time.


As far as is known, “El Mayo” has never been in prison.



Luis Fernando Sanchez Arellano aka “El Ingeniero”: Little is known about Sanchez Arellano other than he is the nephew of the Arellano Felix brothers. Some accounts claim he is the son of Enedina Arellano Felix, others claim his mother is Alicia Arellano Felix, what is known is he took leadership of the Tijuana Cartel after the capture of his uncle Francisco Javier Arellano Felix in 2006.

Sanchez Arellano has been able to keep a low profile after the war against his former ally Teodoro Garcia Simental aka “El Teo” (captured in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur in 2010). Authorities believe “El Ingeniero” was born in Culiacan, Sinaloa, but neither his birthdate nor birthplace has been confirmed.



Alfonzo Arzate Garcia aka “El Aquiles”: Arzate Garcia is believed to be a former CAF member who went independent after the Ingeniero-Teo split. Just like Sanchez Arellano, little is known about “El Aquiles” other than what is claimed in corridos, some say he was part of the cell led by Jorge Briseño Lopez aka “El Cholo”. Arzate Garcia is believed to be a regional leader for the Sinaloa cartel, other sources claim he is just a re-seller for them. It´s known that his criminal cells are fighting against other Sinaloa cartel cells for the control of the retails sales in Tijuana

Rene Arteaga Garcia aka “La Rana”: Alongside his brother Alfonzo, Rene Arteaga is believed to be a regional leader for the Sinaloa cartel. There´s not much information about him other than he commands various groups of hit men who fight for the drug retail in Tijuana with the other Sinaloa cartel cells. He´s also believed to be a former Tijuana Cartel member.


Jose Antonio Soto Gastelum aka “El Tigre”: Soto Gastelum is part of the Sinaloa cartel, his name began to be heard in Tijuana after Teodoro Garcia Simental split from the Tijuana Cartel, he is believed to be the one who introduced “El Teo” with the Sinaloa cartel leadership who in turn provided Garcia Simental with funds, weapons and drugs in his war against “El Ingeniero”. After the capture of “El Teo”, his brother “El Chiquilin” and “El Muletas”, Soto Gastelum became the leader of the Garcia´s cell known as “Los Teos”.



Souces:



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Mexican officials say they foiled an attempt on Pena's life

May 4, 2013, 11:05 pm
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By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

Officials with the Puebla state attorney general's office say they have detained three individuals who were planning an attack on Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto Sunday, according to Mexican news accounts.

According to a report which appeared on the website of El Mundo de Cordoba the three men were detained Saturday in Primera Privada Francisco Villa in Tlaxcalcingo in Puebla state after police were tipped off to the plan of attack.

Detained were Ivan Izazola Vazquez, an engineering graduate of the Universidad Tecnologica de Tehuacan, Eduardo Salazar Vazquez and Xavi Vazquez.

According to officials in the Puebla state  Procuraduria General de Justicia del Estado, both Eduardo Salazar Vazquez and Xavi Vazquez were detained at a private villa with devices used to make Molotov cocktails.  The plan was revealed when the alleged ringleader, Izazola Vazquez, tried to buy more materials but was instead reported through the local emergency phone system.

According to reports Izazola Vazquez is the member of the Puebla Revolucion 2013 movement, which along with YoSoy132 student movement which began last summer, had been planning a protest march against Pena and his national government later in the afternoon in Zocalo square. 

Members of both organizations have been scrubbing "more aggressive" comments from Facebook pages in the wake of the detention of Izazola Vazquez.  Those organizations have also disclaimed any connection to the planned attack.

According to the report, the plan was to attack Pena and a number of Mexican officials for Cinco de Mayo celebrations in a convoy which will begin at 1100 hrs Sunday.

The attempted attack comes at the end of a difficult 10 days for President Pena.  A visit from US President Barak Obama ended with Obama refusing to address his government's role in the Fast and Furious government sanctioned gun running scandal. 

One of Pena's social programs, La Cruzada Contra la Hambre or Crusade Aganst hunger is in deep trouble with the national Chamber of Deputies when it was found that officials in Veracruz state have been using the program for political purposes.  That revelation has raised the calls for the resignation of his Secretaria de Desarrollo Social (SEDESOL) Rosario Robles.

Another victim of those revelations is the stalled legislative agenda from the Pacto Por Mexico, which all three major political parties signed on to at the  start of Pena's term last December.

Yo Soy 132 is a student movement began during Pena's presidential campaign in which Pena campaign officials identified 131 students who participated in a particularly raucous demonstration and demanded they be disciplined.

The Yo Soy 132 movement now claims the three detainees are three provocateurs in their midst.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com and BorderlandBeat.com
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Chapo's wedding: Boda en Durango

May 5, 2013, 3:10 am
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Proceso (5-1-13)

Translated by un vato for Borderland Beat

A few days ago, Ines Coronel Barrera and Omar Coronel Aispuro,  Chapo Guzman's father in law and brother in law, respectively, were arrested in Sonora. Proceso recalled an account  first published on September 2, 2007, of the wedding of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and Emma Coronel Aispuro. I've translated only the portion of the report that narrates the wedding. It's an interesting story. --un vato

...The Deputy Secretary of Standards and Media of the Department of the Interior (Segob), Eduardo Sanchez Hernandez, said that "according to intelligence information, Ines Coronel Barrera is identified as the father of Emma Coronel Aispuro, the wife of Joaquin Guzman Loera, whom she married in 2007 in the town of Angostura, Canelas County, Durango.

In its Edition No. 1609, on September 2, 2007, Proceso published a report titled "Wedding in Durango...and the highest capo was married to Emma I".


There, it tells the peculiar love story of Emma and El Chapo Guzman, which filled with pride her father and mother, Ines Coronel Barrera and Estela Aispuro Aispuro, respectively, both from the town of Angostura.

In its public version, the story began on November 20, 2006. On that day, the city council called on all the young girls to compete in the contest to elect the queen of the 2007 Great Coffee and Guava Festival.

One of the candidates surprised people: Emma, a girl from the remote village of La Angostura, would compete against Baudelia Ayala Coronel, from El Ranchito; Rosa Sandoval Avitia, from the county seat; Alma Diaz Rodriguez, from Zapote and Nancy Herrera Vizcarra, from Mesa de Guadalupe.

From that point on, the five candidates organized events to win sympathizers. Emma invited as many people as she could to the big dance she would hold on January 6, 2007. About this event, the local newspaper, El Correo de la Montana, stated that it gave Emma a sort of "morbid popularity", based on the expectation that El Chapo would be present. There were already rumors -- which later became news -- about a wedding.

The Day of Epiphany came. At 11:00 in the morning, some 200 motorcycles with seating for two riders arrived at Canelas. They carried men with black uniforms and hoods, with submachine guns on their shoulders and large caliber pistols on their belts. Little by little, they spread out to the town's ten entrances, including those used by horsemen. They placed themselves on all the streets.

Then, the members of the band Los Canelos landed on the local air strip aboard five-seat airplanes; their job was to provide the entertainment. But they were also armed with weapons: they showed off pistols with gold grips. Hours later, at 4:30 p.m., six fixed wing aircraft landed . El Chapo descended from one of these.

He wore jeans, jacket, cap and black leather athletic shoes. These had a white stripe. As if it was part of his clothing, he had an AK-47 "cuerno de chivo" assault rifle strapped across his chest and, on his waist, a pistol that matched his clothes.

Behind him, his right hand stepped down from the same airplane; Nacho Coronel, originally from Canelas.

Immediately, the rest of this most wanted drug trafficker's security team was deployed. From three other airplanes descended men wearing green clothing, similar to military uniforms; they were wearing vests and had radios attached to their chests. The operation was more ostentatious than that seen on presidential trips.

The other two airplanes carried the weapons: grenades, cuernos de chivo, submachine guns and handguns. And innumerable cases of whiskey.

Two helicopters began flying over the area; the operation was complete. In the town square, LosCanelos started the dance with Cruzando cerros y arroyos (Crossing Mountains and Streams), the song that El Chapo used to court Emma with.

Cruzando cerros y arroyos /he venido para verte...
(Across mountains and streams /I've come to see you..) 

Another verse:

Eres flor, eres hermosa, /eres perfumada rosa /que ha nacido para mi. Acerca tu pecho al mio /y abrazame, que hace frio, /y asi sere mas feliz.
(You're a flower, you are beautiful /you're a perfumed rose /who was born for me. Hold your breast close to mine /and embrace me because it's cold, /and I will be happier.)

The proud girl from Angostura strolled around the town square, mixing with people and properly chaperoned. Her boyfriend's men would clear the way when he wanted to dance. The couple, like the song says, appeared happy.

With all this security, the party should have been a success. Suddenly, from one side of the plaza, a man fired off a round, but El Chapo's guards simply calmed him down. No fighting, those were their orders. That clueless person who tried to take a photograph was simply deprived of his camera. Afterwards, there was only the music and the noise associated with any big town dance.

Of course, Emma's parents were there: Blanca Estela Aispuro Aispuro and Ines Coronel Barrera. In La Angostura, Ines was officially a cattleman, although those who know him know that his real strength is growing marijuana and amapola (opium poppies).

Emma announced her wedding that day and, all during the dance, Coronel Barrera could not hide his pride at being related to such a powerful boss.

There were few, but notorious, people. Some of the attendees say they recognized the former Sinaloa Attorney General, Alfredo Higuera Bernal, and the mayor of Canelas, Francisco Cardenas Gamboa, a PAN loyalist whose term ended August 31 and whose presence was explained with two versions: he was forced to attend, or, he is simply another member of El Chapo's organization. 

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Clashes Between Nights Templar and Vigilante Groups in Michoacan

May 5, 2013, 11:22 am
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Borderland Beat

In a series of clashes between the criminal group Knights Templar or Caballeros Templarios (CT) against community vigilante groups (comunitarios) who patrol the Tierra Caliente region of Michoacán that left an unconfirmed toll of at least 10 people killed, this according to sources from the Federal Police and the State Attorney's office.



Authorities also said that the shooting left an undetermined amount of injured, that including civilians outside from the criminal groups.

The state Ministerial Police meanwhile reported that the shootings started this morning May 4 in the municipalities of Buenavista Tomatlán, Tepalcatepec and in the surrounding mountains of Apatzingán.

Apparently the clashes were between community patrol vigilante groups or comunitarios and a criminal organization that accuses the comunitarios of having ties to a rival drug cartel.

Authorities reported that shootout lasted for more than two hours between the two armed groups and even grenades were detonated that caused damage to nearby houses.

It was also reported that at about 1400 hours armed groups conducted road blocks and check points in the federal highway of Uruapan, but soon withdrew when the federal police arrived to secure the area.

In the area where the shootings took place a total of 10 bodies were recovered this according to the State Attorney General Office.

The department of the Public Ministry was on scene to process the crime scene and initiate an investigation.

Source:Proceso



In the last month there has been tension building up in the Tierra caliente region of Michoacan as vigilante groups get more agressive and the authorities get confused who is who.

There has also been reports that some of these "comunitarios," that appeared to be heavily armed, are attempting to empose enforcement among the populace of the region, causing an increase of activity from criminal groups that includes the resurrection of the Knights Templar who maintain power and control in the region.

Video source: Tierra del narco






Armed community vigilante groups or comunitarios arm themselves and take out to the streets in Michoacan.

About 2 thousand community vigilante guards or comunitarios of Nueva Italia, Michoacan took out to the streets fully armed mostly with clubs and rocks, blocked streets with trucks and buses they had high-jacked. They are present in heavy numbers in Tepalcatepec and Buenavista, they also taunted and protested against the federal police.



Exodus of families in Michoacan fearing violence

Families from Buenavista Tomatlán, Michoacan have abandoned their homes for fear of violence between armed criminal groups (CT) and members of the so-called community guards or "comunitarios," a heavily armed vigiante armed group of citizens.

Families have been forced inside their homes cancelling schools, closing bars and forbidding the sale of alcohol. People live in fear while dodging shootouts in the middle of town and surrounding mountains.



The brother of the mayor of Buenavista, Tomatlán is executed in May 1.

The renowned farmer and rancher and distributor of gasoline, Jesus Torres Chavez, was killed early on Wednesday, allegedly by the community vigilante guards (comunitarios). The victim is the brother of the mayor of Buenavista, Tomatlán who said the heavily armed vigilante group was upset because he did not give them the weapons of the municipal police.



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Mapping the Incredible Spread of Mexican Drug Cartels in the U.S.

May 5, 2013, 12:34 pm
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Borderland Beat

Posted in the Borderland Beat Forum by Jthmover
Posted By Colin Daileda Thursday, May 2, 2013

 
As Barack Obama heads to Mexico, U.S. involvement in Mexico's battle against drug cartels is getting a lot of press. But it's worth noting that Mexico's notorious narcotics trade isn't just Mexico's problem anymore.

And Obama should be well aware of that, considering that this past February Chicago declared Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán its first "Public Enemy No. 1" since Al Capone.

"While Chicago is 1,500 miles from Mexico, the Sinaloa drug cartel is so deeply embedded in the city that local and federal law enforcement are forced to operate as if they are on the border," Jack Riley, the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Chicago office, told CNN.

The infiltration of the Windy City shows the extent to which Mexican drug syndicates have made inroads in the United States -- the Associated Press and others have reported that cartel cells are operating in Atlanta, Ga., Louisville, Ky., Columbus, Ohio, and rural North Carolina. In fact, according to an excellent National Post infographic based on data from a U.S. Justice Department report and other sources, it's much easier to list states that don't have a drug trade tied to Mexican gangs.

There are only twelve that haven't reported the presence of one of four Mexican cartels since 2008: Alabama, Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The Mexican drug trade is everywhere else.

Detected cartel operations range from traditional drug-running to using a horse ranch as a front for laundering drug money, as one group did in Oklahoma.

The Sinaloa cartel, which has emerged as Mexico's dominant syndicate, has carved out new territory in the United States by controlling 80 percent of its meth trade (Mexican cartels have come to dominate the U.S. market by aggressively bumping up the purity of their meth while dropping the price per gram).

All told, Mexican cartels reside in 1,200 American communities as of 2011, up from 230 in 2008, according to the Associated Press. Below is a map that shows just how many states have been penetrated, according to the National Post's special report on the topic.

Link to Map:
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=211583255200445972949.0004db306f524dc7f6bc3&ie=UTF8&t=m&source=embed&ll=38.272689,-96.152344&spn=32.935553,56.25&z=4

Texas
Federation, Juarez and Gulf cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

California
Tijuana, Federation and Juarez cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

Minnesota
Tijuana and Federation cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

Michigan
Federation cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

Chicago, Illinois
Federation, Juarez and Gulf cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

Columbus, Ohio
Federation, Tijuana, Juarez and Gulf cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

Indiana
Federation and Juarez cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

Oklahoma
Federation and Juarez cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

St. Louis, Missouri
Federation, Juarez and Gulf cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

North Carolina
Federation and Gulf cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

Atlanta, Georgia
Federation and Gulf cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

Louisville, Kentucky
Gulf cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

Pennsylvania
Tijuana, Juarez and Federation cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

Arizona
Juarez Cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

New Mexico
Juarez cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

Denver, Colorado
Federation cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

Washington
Tijuana cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

Oregon
Federation Cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

Nevada
Tijuana and Federation cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

Wyoming
Juarez Cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

South Dakota
Tijuana and Gulf cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

Kansas
Juarez cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

Louisiana
Federation and Gulf cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

Florida
Federation and Gulf cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

Mississippi
Gulf cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

Nebraska
Tijuana cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

South Carolina
Gulf cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

Virginia
Federation cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

Maryland
Federation cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

New York
Tijuana and Gulf cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

New Hampshire
Juarez cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

Massachusetts
Federation and Gulf cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

Rhode Island
Federation cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

Delaware
Federation cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

New Jersey
Federation, Juarez and Gulf cartels, according to the Justice Department report.

Tennessee
Federation cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

Washington, DC
Juarez cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

Arkansas
Federation cartel, according to the Justice Department report.

Original Source Article:
http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/05/02/mexican_drug_cartels_penetration_united_states?wp_login_redirect=0

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Violence Spirals Out of Control in Northern Sinaloa

May 5, 2013, 7:20 pm
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Posted in Borderland Beat Forum by Siskiyou_Kid

Violence spirals out of control in Northern Sinaloa as a new group asserts control


This narcomanta was left in a Jeep Cherokee with the bodies of 6 victims who were kidnapped on April 8

Written by Adán German for Borderland Beat

La Mochomera, lead by "los Dos Letras", claims Northern Sinaloa
Violence, which is already commonplace in Sinaloa, is reaching new levels of barbarity in Northern Sinaloa as an apparently new group asserts ownership of the plaza.

The horror became apparent with the kidnapping of 6 men from El Fuerte and Juan Jose Rios on April 8. Their bodies were dumped in a Jeep Cherokee SUV on the shoulder of the Mexico highway 15 on April 20. Five of the victims have been identified as Sergio Roberto Valenzuela Aqui, el Checo, Leonard Alberto Romero Aguilar, el Leonard, Luis Rey Ramirez Guerrero, el Pili, Luis Alberto Osorio Valenzuela, el Chuy Poros, and Arturo Andalon Miranda, el Wico.

One of the victims is believed to be a municipal police officer, and they are from Juan Jose Rios, Constancia, Tehueco, and Mochicahui. The narcomanta left with the victims was directed at Ahome police commander Jesus Carrasco Ruiz and his officers.


The 6 men dumped with a Jeep Cherokee on April, 20 were kidnapped on April 8

Former Ahome police commander murdered
The 6 bodies in the Jeep Cherokee were dumped a few days after the murder of former Ahome police commander Nicolas Galaviz Vasquez on April 18. Galaviz was gunned down less than 200 meters from the municipal palace in Los Mochis. He had been accused of complicity in drug dealing and murder during his tenure as one of the police commanders in Ahome.


Nicolas Galviz Vasquez was gunned down by two men in Los Mochis

Galviz Vasquez and the entire Ahome police department were disbanded by the federal government and imprisoned in a maximum security prison in Veracruz in 2011. They were accused of being a de facto cell for los Mazatlecos, in support of the Betran Leyva organization. They were released after the charges were dropped and Galviz Vazquez was enjoying a police disability pension while working for a construction company running errands.

Announcements on Facebook
The first 6 murders were announced on a new Facebook account, under the name Mochimera Mochis. The page include accusations against various police agencies in Northern Sinaloa, alleging their complicity with the Sinaloa Cartel and their cells, under the command of Joaquin Guzman Loera, el Chapo Guzman.

Following the discovery of the bodies, various police forces descended on the scene, including the accused Ahome chief of police, Jesus Carrasco Ruiz. Days later, Ahome mayor Zenen Aaron Xochihua Enciso defended Carrrasco, saying that Carrasco was in collusion with nobody and that new security strategies were already being formed.

Three bodies left with a narcomanta
On Friday, May 3, three bodies dumped in a ditch in the rancho of Treinta y Ochinto near San Juan Rios, in the municipality of Guasave were identified. A narcomanta was left at the scene disputing the plaza and targeting the Sinaloa Cartel. The bodies had numerous gunshot wounds, and showed evidence of torture. The men have been identified as Gabriel Guadalupe Orozco Rivera, 27, Nabor Inzunza Fuentes, 22, and Fernando Escarrega Bojorquez, 38. The first two are from Topolobampo, and the third is from Compuertas, outside of Los Mochis, which has historically been the base of operations for the Beltran Leyva clan in the north.


The bodies of Fernando Bojorquez and Navor Fuentes were dumped near San Juan Rios on Friday

Six more murders
Now on Saturday, May 4th, it was announced that 6 more bodies were left on the shoulder of the Mexico highway 15, outside Los Mochis. Five of the victims have been identified as Ramon Soto Flores, Cristian Alberto Obeso Dominguez, both from the colonia Siglo XlX, Juan Pablo Armenta Vega, from Guamuchil, Casimiro Tizon Gerardo, 36, from El Tamarindo, Culiacan, and Luis Enrique Plasencia Valdez, from Ocoroni, in the municipality of Sinaloa de Leyva.

The bodies were accompanied by another narcomanta signed by "el Dos Letras", who claims to head a new Betran Leyva group, la Mochomera. The men were bound hand and foot, and some of them were restrained with handcuffs, possibly indicating the complicity of police personnel. Once again a narcomanta was left with the bodies signed by the one calling himself "el Dos Letras".

The narcomanta was aimed at the people of Guzman and stated that these people will not enter the plaza that it's rightful owner already has, even with the help of the government.


The bodies dumped on the Mexico 15 on Saturday were bound and some were handcuffed. Two had been beheaded.

A brief history
Sinaloa has long experience brutal violence between rival groups, even before the Beltran Leyva group split from the Sinaloa Cartel in 2008, following the arrest of Alfredo Beltran Leyva, el Mochomo. Groups of "gavilleros", gangs comprised of tight knit clans have battled for control of the Sierra in Sinaloa for decades. While the current wave of violence is higher than normal, it's not unprecedented. Sinaloa regularly experiences at many as 140 murders a month, and well over 1,000 a year. This is a substantial number for a state with 2.8 million people people, and an area roughly equal to the US state of West Virginia.

Since 2008 a violent turf war has raged between the Sinaloa Cartel and a triad of alliances comprised of Beltran Leyva cells based in los Mochis and Mazatlan, los Zetas, and the Juarez Cartel's Carrillo family, who have their base in Navolato, outside Culiacan. While various factors are blamed for the war, it began after the arrest of Alfredo Beltran Leyva, el Mochomo at the start of 2008, and has escalated since the murder of Joaquin Guzman Loera's son, Edgar Guzman Lopez, which occurred a short time later on May 8, 2008.

Several other factors have contributed to the war, including a dispute involving the Mexico City Airport, which is one of the most important locations in Mexico for the transshipment of cocaine from South America. In 2006 the Sinaloa Cartel struck a deal with the Beltran Leyva brothers to give them control of the airport, which has been under the command of Jesus Reynaldo Zambada Garcia, el Rey, the brother of Sinaloa Cartel capo Ismael Zambada Garcia, el Mayo. In return the Zambadas were given control of the Guanajuato airport, then held by a Ignacio “Nacho” Coronel Villarreal. In return the Beltran Leyvas would give Nacho Coronel control of the Monterrey airport.

Jesus Zambada Garcia had grown a carefully nuanced relationship with police, airline personnel, and customs agents, through bribes which gave him effective control of the Mexico City Airport without the use of violence. The Beltran Leyvas placed Sergio Villarreal Barragan, el Grande, in charge of the airport, and shortly after he became angered when an honest customs agent refused to release a shipment of cocaine. El Grande went on a rampage, murdering as many as 10 of el Rey's most trusted workers and leaving two severed heads near the airport. This caused the 3 way deal to collapse and may have been a major factor in precipitating the war.

Back in Sinaloa a Beltran Leyva cell called los Mazatlecos, named for their origins in Mazatlan, began systematically killing police and anyone suspected of collusion with the Sinaloa Cartel. Under the command of Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, "el Chapito Isidro", they proved their mettle as a worthy opposition to sicarios commanded by Manuel Torres Felix, el M1 or el Ondeado. In 2012 eleven men died in an ambush by los Mazatleco sicarios at Tetamboa, in El Fuerte municipality. Juan Pablo Osuna Lizarraga, el Cien, an important Mazatleco commander, died in the shootout, along with 7 police and 3 of his sicarios. This ambush involved police who had been sent to Choix, the scene of a drawn out battle between Sinaloa Cartel forces and a heavy presence of Beltran Leyva soldiers, who were aided by Carrillo and Zeta reinforcements, who came over the the mountains from Chihuahua and Sonora. This pitched battle over the marijuana and poppy growing areas of the Sierra Madre left as many as 40 people dead and displaced hundreds of poor rural inhabitants.

Fauso Isidro Meza Flores, el Chapito Isidro

Analysis
There has been recent speculation that a truce between the Sinaloa Cartel and the Beltran Leyvas is in place, following the death of Manuel Torres Felix, M1 el Ondeado, but this is apparently not the case.

The narcomantas left by la Mochomera, and signed by "el Dos Letras" specifically target Joaquin Guzman Loera's people, even though they disavow los Mazatlecos and by extension Chapito Isidro. What we're witnessing is apparently a violent announcement of a changing of the guard.

This is likely the beginning of a new war that could rival the violence that followed the murder of los Antrax leader Juan Francisco Arce Rubio, el Pancho Arce, at a soccer game in Culiacan in 2011.

The sad part is that many of the victims have been and will continue to be innocent people who are mostly poor farmers, used as pawns in a senseless game where they are butchered to send a message that the killers are asserting control over local drug sales and the growing of marijuana and opium poppy. We will likely see well over 100 murders in the month of May, and each month through the long, wet summer.

Sources:
http://alinstantenoticias.com
http://www.borderlandbeat.com
http://borderland-beat-forum.924382.n3.nabble.com
http://www.noroeste.com.mx
http://www.lineadirectaportal.com
http://www.debate.com.mx
http://www.jornada.unam.mx
http://www.fpri.org
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Zetas Cartel Money Laundering Trial Week 3 "Mamito" Testifies

May 6, 2013, 10:17 pm
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by  Chivis Martinez and Havana  for Borderland Beat

The Los Zetas cartel money laundering trial kicked off its third week of testimony with the testimony of Jesús Enrique Rejón Aguilar aka “El Mamito” or Z-7.   The trial has provided dozens of witnesses, over the three weeks of testimony, from peripheral characters providing interesting insider information; however Rejón is the first top leader of the Zetas to testify, he was ranked number three in the leader hierarchy.  
Rejón was one of the founders of Los Zetas.
 
Rejón entered the courtroom wearing prison garb, in this case, a loose white shirt and light gray pants similar to sweats. He appeared not to be shackled or cuffed.  He would still be considered good looking but definitely worse for the wear.  He was  sporting a 2-3 day beard growth,  and closely shaved head.  He took the stand with a demeanor of both confidence and resignation. 
 
When our courtroom source was asked about Rejón’s  demeanor he reported;   “ [he was] Just resigned to being there and getting the testimony over with, remembering to cooperate but not let the attorneys get away with anything even if he knew he was smarter than the attorneys, he was attentive to every question. He was just going through with it as best he could to get out of jail before he is too old.  He was serious”
He was a member of the Mexican Special Forces, known by the acronym GAFE, and was stationed in Saltillo the capital city of Coahuila.  It was while he was assigned in Saltillo when he met another founding member, Arturo Guzmán Decena aka Z-1 (at left), Guzmán asked Rejón to be a part of a new enforcer group of 14 former officers that would work with the Golfo cartel (CDG).  The name of the new group was Los Zetas.  
When Rejon arrived in Tamaulipas he was assigned under the command of Miguel Treviño Morales where he remained until his arrest.  Miguel is the current premier leader of Los Zetas and was indicted in case being tried, Miguel is Jose Treviño’s brother.
On July 4, 2011, Rejón was arrested in Atizapán, de Zaragoza a suburb of Mexico City; subsequently he was extradited to the US to face drug trafficking charges.  He pled guilty in February of this year and is serving a 10 to life sentence, he admitted on the stand he was testifying for a reduced sentence.  He is also suspected of being involved in the murder of ICE agent Jamie Zapata a murder he at one time admitted to, but later retracted that statement.
Rejón was suspected of killing numerous people and is known for his extravagant, but failed attempt in 2004 to free Golfo leader, Osiel Cardenas Guillen, from a maximum security prison in Mexico.  Mexico government documents reveal that the attempt involved helicopters and scores of Zetas on the ground.  Ultimately Cardenas was extradited to the US where he pled guilty, as he apologized with tears streaming down his face, receiving a 25 year sentence which he is currently serving.
In 2010 Zetas split from the Golfo Cartel, and the two cartels have been vicious opponents since the break,  in an ongoing conflict over the NE territory of Mexico.
Rejón was apprehended with 5 kilos of cocaine and 1000 kilos of marijuana when he was arrested.  . In Mexico he was charged with; organized crime, possession of prohibited weapon for-military-use-only and prohibited ammunition for-military-use-only.
Rejón told the jury that Los Zetas were moving cocaine into the States and in this time frame. He said moved 40 tons or more and made 350 million dollars plus for the Zetas. According to the witness, "[The Zetas'] expenses out of 350 million were the cost of their war against Los Golfos."
When asked about admitting on Mexican TV to killing the ICE agent  agent, Rejón explained to the jury that after his arrest he was kept blindfolded for days before he was forced in front of TV cameras to give a coerced statement.  
The charge was thrown out.
Fourteen months later, on Sept. 12, 2012, he was extradited to the US to answer charges of killing ICE agent Jaime Zapata. He pled guilty to conspiracy charges, facing 10 years to life, and is presently awaiting sentencing.
Rejón assured defense attorney Mike DeGuerin that there has been no payment or promises for testifying for the American government. He admitted he already testified in the trial of Aerelio Cano Flores, "El Yankee “, but said he was hoping the judge will reward his "good will" with leniency when sentencing.
The witness agreed under oath that he fought some territory battles: "I don't know. I was in at least 10" against opposing Cartel de Sinaloa, and he admitted that he kidnapped, tortured, and killed those crossing plazas without paying fees. Under cross examination, in a matter of fact manner, he admitted killing men and women, as well as torturing men, but stipulated he did not torture women.
 "Other groups are allowed to move drugs though your territory, sometimes they pay fees, if not they got kidnapped, killed or whatever is needed to be done. I was told to kidnap 10-15 people for trafficking drugs without permission. They were killed. I was told to kill."
He continued testifying about the killings and clarified a misconception and, while exhibiting  his brand of cooperation; "I wasn't ever supposed to kill Betancourt anyway. I was told to kill the wife of Alejandro Betancourt," he admits. "But I didn't think she'd done anything, I wasn't convinced, so I didn't....I ended up being punished in hand cuffs for a while."
On the stand, Rejón said he killed about 20 people, although the defense attorney, Mike DeGeurin, repeatedly referred to the number as 30 never wavering. The witness just responded with a nod at the attorney, in a bored manner that conveys,  "whatever", clearly he was “over it” and didn’t want to  bother quibbling about mere numbers of deaths he'd caused, numbers that may not even begin to resemble an accurate count anyway. 
Continuing with history, Rejón snarled, "It wasn't like I defected from the Gulf Cartel. I always worked for the armed branch, Los Zetas, and stayed working for Los Zetas after the split in 2010." He agreed he was given the title Z-7.
He supervised all sectors at the national levels, moving drugs to the US, providing bribes to the Mexican military, transporting drugs for the military, killing or kidnapping, whatever needed to be done.
Miguel Treviño (Z40) gave him the orders. At the time Miguel was second in command for the armed branch and supervised everything: all people and weaponry. They worked together and friendship developed between him and Miguel and his brother Omar Treviño (Z42). For two years, they saw each other nearly every day.
Rejón had been interested in quarter horses for many years, long before 40. He had a partnership with Alejandro Barradas. The witness explained that it was "a hobby to have the fastest quarter horses," which he kept on property in Miguel Aleman. Barradas' death had something to do with El Lucky in Veracruz. Between the translator and Rejón’s explanation something unclear was mumbled.
Apart from his obligations and associations with Los Zetas, Rejón met other persons along the way who shared similar passion for quarter horses.  
The prosecutor asked Rejón what he called Ramiro Villareal. Looking puzzled, he replied, "Amigo." When asked if he called him "Gordo," he replied, "I never called him that."
Rejón worked over a period of time with Ramiro Villareal, acquiring about 350 quarter horses. He studied catalogues and bloodlines, buying horses through Villareal. He said, "Villareal was supposed to get me Tempting Dash. “I told him to buy me Tempting Dash 'cause of the good bloodline. He said he would, but 40 got it, he said, 'no, I got it!'"  The witness still appeared genuinely disgusted.
The prosecution exhibited many wiretapped phone calls, looking for the witness' input.
In his testimony today, Monday, he said,  Miguel Treviño, and his brother Omar, number 2 leader of Los Zetas, laundered drug proceeds through a horse racing operation in the United States, buying horses to race and fixing races their horses ran in.

He told jurors that Miguel purchased the horse Tempting Dash, In the US from Jose Ramiro Villareal.  Villareal aka “Gordo” was killed on orders of Miguel Treviño. .  Rejón said Miguel did not want himself to be the registered owner of the horse; he wanted it registered in the name of his brother, Jose Treviño.  His reasons were that Jose was “clean” and not involved in drug trafficking.
One recorded call played aloud in the courtroom (subtitles provided) was between Ramiro Villareal, and his assistant La Pili, who referred to the "guy in glasses" being furious. The witness says, "That was me. Ramiro was supposed to buy me that horse and 40 claimed it. Sure I was mad."
The witness told the jury that around late 2007, early 2008, Miguel Treviño Morales became interested in racing quarter horses. It was expensive but 40 noted it was a good hobby and good for cleaning money. 
The prosecution played taped conversations between 42 and Villareal about bribes at racetracks. Another taped conversation spoke of "applying jolts" to horses when jockeys have battery buzzers taped to their wrists or their hands to increase the horse's speed. Jockeys immediately discarding the buzzers on the track when finished,. 
When asked about Villareal's death, Rejón said, "40 killed him and made it look like an accident."  He continued, "no, it wasn't because he was cooperating with the US, he didn't know that. It was because Villareal knew so much about the horses, he knew everything. He didn't want to be brought down by Villareal if he got caught"
Rejón spoke of Pancho Colorado and his relationship with Z-14. He said, "They were compadres and Z-14 helped him with his company in Veracruz." He was at the investigation/reorganization meeting at Colorado's ranch after the death of Z-14. 
Rejón testified that he attended many match races, "maybe 80" with 40 and 42 in Mexico, and Colorado Cessa was there sometimes, too. "He bought horses for them."
The jury proceeded to listen to many recorded calls with 42, who spoke with Villareal about bribing gatekeepers at Tempting Dash's 2009 Dash for Cash race, which she one.  Villareal spoke of the deal with the gate keepers: $500 for each starter and $4000 if they won the race
One curious conversation was between Villareal and Omar Trevino after Tempting won a Dash for Cash new track record. Villareal was saying he had to go have his photo taken. Two or three times, the jury listened to an elated Omar requesting Villareal send him a sign in the photo. Two days later, on Wednesday, the Jury was shown by FBI investigator Steve Lawson the photo of the Treviño kids, flashing 40 and 42 signs in the winner's circle.
Attorney DeGeurin asked Aguilar if he had been accused of killing a police officer. Somewhat confused, Rejón said, "Yeah, but I'm not sure what officer?"
When asked more specifically about killing one ICE agent and wounding another on the highway in San Luis Potosi, Aguilar responded, "I was questioned about this, I knew it was members of Los Zetas. I told them the facts."  
Rejón told lawyer Mike DeGeurin that the Gulf Cartel got most of his horses. When asked if he made 50 million dollars off his activities, he replied "most got lost with businesses," but he admitted he still has money in a safe (or safe place) somewhere.  
When DeGeurin stated, "You probably don't feel inclined to tell me where." Rejón answered slowly but matter of factly, "I see no reason to do that."


At one point Rejón was asked if he knew Banda MonoCodo…no answer.  Then almost at the end of the prosecution's redirect, Assistant District attorney Gardner asked Rejón how much was  Banda El Recodo  fee  to play. 

He answered, "they cost 40 (Miguel Treviño), $250,000"
 
Gardner told the jury he was curious about the cost the band charged because they were the band at Alejandra’s Treviño's wedding.



The witness was also asked why defendant Colorado Cessa sent him cigars. 

"He sent me cigars because of my faith," he further elaborated saying "Santeria is based on the Lacumi beliefs of the Yoruba in Africa... then it came through Cuba with slaves. I sent people to do a cleaning on the part of Colorado."  

He was asked about ritual of animal sacrifice which he ignored probably because it was posed more as a statement.

The last remark on District Attorney's Gardner's redirect was, "Santeria doesn't justify killing people...” It was met by silence and Judge Sparks excused the witness.
 The next witness giving testimony was Tyler Graham, 29, he's been manager/agent of Southwest Stallion Station for 7 years. It's a large, well respected stable in Elgin, Texas and a long established leader in breeding quarter horses. The breeding farm and stable was started by the witness' grandfather, Dr. Charles Graham. Dr.Graham is also a co-owner of the famous horse auction house, Heritage Place, "Where Champions Are Sold," and Graham sits on the SSS board. He grew up around the horse racing industry all his life and there isn't much he doesn't know about the business.
He graduated from Texas A and M with an animal science degree in 2006 and started working at the family business, Southwest Stallion Station, afterwards. 
Tyler Graham explained that Southwest Stallion Station wants the best possible studs to attract the best mares for the future. "That combination will bring the best possible racing quarter horses and the most money for Southwest Stallion Station," he told the jury. "You need great sires and great dams--a 50/50 winning combination, but still there is no guarantee."
Graham has learned to recruit stallion owners like teams recruit athletes, which is what he was attempting to do with Jose Treviño and Tempting Dash when she won the Dash for Cash race in 2009. That race is said to be the one which earned Defendant Jose Treviño $400,000, which he used to start his horse breeding and racing business.  Graham knew all about Tempting Dash and had been following her progress since Ramiro Villareal had purchased her originally for $25,000, back when she was named Huesos. Chevo Huitron had trained horses for Graham and told him about other Futurities Tempting Dash had won in Mexico.
By the time Graham (at left) was pursuing Tempting Dash to breed at Southwest Stallion Station, he had he already known Villareal and many others involved in this case for many years. "The quarter horse industry is only so big," he explained" And Southwest Stallion Station plays an important role. 
The government was aware of the Treviño quarter horse business. The FBI had been conducting surveillance and witnessed Tyler bidding at the 2010 Heritage Place fall auction, where they won Dashing Follies for $875,000. Tyler Graham said, "Rudi Treviño asked me before the sale to get Dashing Follies, the bidding started quick at $500,000, then very fast going up in $25,000 increments.
Jose and Nayen were there and Rudi was on the phone and kept nodding." "Rudi also told me to buy Coronita Cartel, which was $200,000, and two Whealands for $25,000. The horses were paid for on Monday morning with wire transfers to Heritage Place. The next week, Jose, Rudi and Nayen came by Southwest Stallion Station to see Dashing Follies and Coronita Cartel and the two Wheatlands."
FBI investigator Scott Lawson contacted Tyler Graham in 2010 to help with a money laundering investigation since Graham had close ties with so many players in the government investigation.
"They approached me, not 'cause I did anything wrong, because I didn't, but they needed some inside help." He signed an OIA, otherwise illegal agreement, which has to be renewed every 90 days. 
Graham kept in regular contact with the FBI, exchanging information as they consciously and painstakingly built their case. In April 2011, about a year after Graham's initial meeting with the government, the FBI wanted him to buy a Nextel phone, for which they reimbursed him, and from that point on all his calls were taped for the ongoing investigation. 
Graham testified that he met defendant Fernando Garcia in Spring 2010. Carlos Nayen and he were interested in buying a lot of horses in the 2010 and soon afterwards they started sending quarter horses to Southwest Stallion Station for breeding and boarding. Graham said he was aware they were also changing horse names, some into names of fast cars.
 "It was confusing and made it difficult to keep track of 'em." Garcia and Nayen asked Graham to open an American bank account, to make it easier for them to pay for the horses. In the summer of 2012, he opened an IBC account in Bastrop, TX, because it was the closest bank. A total of $54,000 was deposited in six increments of $9,000. Graham was informed by his bank officer that IBC was closing the account.
He took the money and applied it to their growing horse expense bill at Southwest Stallion Station.  When he talked to Jose about this, was mad and called Carlos immediately about the matter, quickly and in Spanish.
The calls, many of which seem quite damning, continued between Graham and members of "the organization," which is what the government calls the group associated with Jose Treviño. One call after another features members of the organization discussing payments, deposits and ongoing struggles to get people and horses paid for. 
There's a call from Victor Lopez, saying he needs to meet for a cash drop in Laredo. Graham says he'll arrange it and get back to him.
Another one has Victor Lopez saying he needed a list of all the embryos they had and who were the parents. 
There were calls discussing screwed up wire transfers.
One call, with a frustrated Graham telling Fernando and Victor Lopez that $223,000 in wired payments is fine but the balances keep increasing, since more horses keep coming in and stud fees for Jose's breeding get paid directly to Jose and aren't applied to the growing balances.
Carlos kept buying breedings, and Colorado Cessa's accounts were kept separate.
At the end of this long testimony it seems that there is anything the defense can do to put any doubt in this witness' testimony. He appears unflappable, a prosecutors' dream witness.
When the defense asked about his recorded calls, he clarified, "I didn't record calls. My phone calls were being recorded." And regarding being a confidential informant, "they never called me that. I don't know what they called me. A concerned citizen? They approached me, not the other way around”.
IRS Special Agent Steve Pennington gave his testimony Tuesday afternoon. He speaks of the defendants in the government's money laundering case as "front men" (or "nominees") because they carry out duties for “the organization" buying quarter horses.  
He cited Francisco Colorado Cessa as a nominee buyer as well as the Huitron brothers, Eusebio and Jesus, and horse agent Fernando Solis Garcia. The jury has seen evidence of structured deposits in their bank.
Pennington analyzed cash transaction reports and evidence of large deposits going into Jesus and Eusebio Huitron's Wells Fargo account in Laredo. Much of their depositing style fits the parameters of structuring deposits. They co-mingled funds from mixed sources, both clean and dirty, to disguise their motives.
In 22 months there was $505,000 deposited into Jesus and Eusebio's accounts and a large number of checks written to defendants signed by Jesus Huitron. But Pennington said, "There never appeared any invoices from those entities."
Jesus Huitron's attorney, Brent Mayr, tried to say it was impossible to prove Jesus or Eusevio Huitron who used the computer, because the fact is, they don't. He said that Jessica Huitron, Jesus' daughter, did the billing, and he pointed to evidence of her notarizing two documents to further cast down. There could be some doubt about their computer skills but...
Jurors listened for hours, most of Tuesday morning and afternoon, as prosecutors traced the money trail from horse auctions, breeding farms, horse races and numerous  banks.
Steve Pennington said, "An IRS auditor looks at the level of receipts. Then he looks a level below to see if the money is legitimate."  
The witness reiterated and explained  currency is earned from drugs being sold in the US, being transported to Mexico, deposited directly as cash in US banks, or wired directly as payment for horses. The defendants laundered drug money, buying horses through nominees, and spent their time shifting through many owners to disguise the source of the money. The process enabled Treviño to collect winnings from horse races, sales, stud fees, breeding and so forth.
Pennington determined that $25 million was spent on the purchase of quarter horses in auctions and private sales, but only one was bought by Jose Trevino. 
The IRS investigator noted that two Spanish language accounts in Laredo, Texas, one being Gerardo Garza Quintero's and the other, Edith A Lopez's, had huge deposits coming in and a large number of checks going out. Edith A. Lopez has been linked to Los Zetas.
From Jose Treviño's Lexington, Oklahoma ranch, the IRS Investigator found a stack of unsigned breeding contracts with Victor Nieto, Nayen Hernandez, Santa Fe Rodan, Efrain Garcia (at left) name on them. There were no billings or breeding contracts at the Zule Farm for Carlos Nayen, who had been buying horses for Tremor Enterprises since 2011.
In 2011, 35 mares were purchased under Jose Trevino's company and tracked by the original sales records and AQHA Records. The horses were housed at SSS and were eventually transferred and registered to 66 Land.
The mares were shipped to Lexington to be a part of Jose Trevino's new "Oklahoma Bred" breeding program at Zule Farms. But analyzing the paper trail, it appears he never paid for the mares except with a bounced check. The mares, many pregnant, were seized at the raid on June 12, 2012.
Lead FBI Investigator Scott Lawson spent Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning exhibiting photos accumulated in his two year surveillance of the defendants at various horse auctions and sales. He spoke of Tyler Graham and the evidence he shared with the FBI as providing nearly 60% of the evidence.
In order to provide more proof of linkage, Lawson's testimony was largely made up of surveillance photos, wiretapped phone calls, photos and documents he pulled from off defendants' computers.
Lead FBI Investigator Scott Lawson spent Tuesday afternoon/Wednesday morning exhibiting photos he accumulated in his two year surveillance of defendants at various horse auctions and sales. He spoke of Tyler Graham and the evidence he shared with the FBI as providing nearly 60% of the evidence.
Continued on next page......

The following represents a fraction of the exhibited evidence:
Photos of Victor Lopez, who on two occasions, unknowingly giving money in Laredo, TX to an undercover agent, designating the funds were to be delivered to Tyler Graham at Southwest Stallion Station.
The first drop of $35,000 happened in January, 2011 in La Posada Hotel parking lot in Laredo, TX. More photos taken on August 24, 2011, show the second time Victor Lopez gave money, $59,700, to be delivered to Tyler Graham to an agent in a truck parked in Mall de Norte.   
A financial spread sheet of Colorado Cessa's horse purchases found on Fernando Garcia's computer representing 1.4M spent at horse a horse auction, which exhibited payments from ADT.
Documents reflect Colorado Cessa purchasing 121 horses. Forty-one of the horses were in his name and boarded at Southwest Stallion or at trainer Paul Joan’s facility.
Photos of Fernando Garcia in numerous winner’s circles--ten times over the amount to prove linkage.
Auction catalogues from Heritage, 2011 Riodoso and Los Alamitos auctions with horse hip numbers circled and listed as "Buenos." Many of these horses were confiscated from Treviño's horse ranch June 12, 2012, and sold by the government for over 8M.
A bill for Cheve Huitron's broken leg from training horses in Mexico sent from Fernando Garcia to electronic mail address; Anri2391@hotmail. The email address is the one Victor Lopez/Carlos Nayen used.
Photos of Fernando Garcia in approximately a dozen winner’s circles, the photos depicted various defendants.
Photos of Nayen, Solis Garcia in Veracruz boarding a private jet Poncho Colorado contacted to fly from Houston to Los Alamitos with defendant Colorado Cessa.
 From Lexington, Oklahoma, 100 boxes of evidence, 8 computers and 10 telephones.
Sales agreement of Garcia Bloodstock Fernando's company selling Mr. Piloto to Tremor Enterprises before the 2009 All American Futurity.
No billing invoices were found at any of the businesses. 
Winners circle photos,  that include various combination groupings of the co-defendants imaginable, including the "New Track Record" for Tempting Dash with son Jose Treviño Jr. and daughter Alexandra flashing 40 and 42 signs
The day ended again with questions regarding witness for the prosecution Hector Moreno's testimony. The defense wants to have his testimony discarded because of pending kidnapping and murder charges in Mexico.
 
The defense has documents filed in Piedras Niegras, Coahuila, which is where Moreno lived. The prosecution wants it in, not only because of his horse racing ledger, but he is also an important part of Poncho Cuellar's crew, with plenty of valuable information.
Lead Defense attorney David Finn believes the arrest documents are valid. He thinks Hector deliberately deceived and left a false impression with the jury. Judge Sam Sparks wants the Mexican arrest warrants authenticated by the State Department before he makes a ruling. The defense is questioning again whether Moreno took money for his testimony. Not holding back his weariness over the issue, Judge Sparks, halfheartedly said the defense will have their chance with Moreno when he testifies again. It is not known when, but they will try to get him back.
Recall: Witness Hector Moreno
On Thursday, Moreno once again took the stand. He answered questions as to whether he knew he was facing charges for kidnapping and murder in in Mexico. He said that the first he heard of it was in the San Antonio newspaper.
 
He also testified he was given money for a permit, which was probably an U.S. resident visa. He was excused.
Witness Shae Cox
Attorney Richard Esper called trainer Shae Cox, former mentee of Eusevio Huitron, who described him as an incredibly hard working horse trainer with top horsemanship, while conceding his lack of education and refinement had held him back to some degree.
She described her experiences traveling with Huitron, training and racing horses on the quarter horse racing circuit. When asked about his honesty, Cox said, "He doesn't have time not to be honest."
Cox described straightening out a clerical mess Chevo was entangled with at Elgin Veterinary Clinic regarding horses and their proper owners. It took days to untangle, emphasizing that although Cox's former boss had no head for accounting, she still respected him enough to help him avoid problems in the future.
 Assistant US Attorney Douglas Gardner refuted the witness' description of Huitron's honesty by listing doping charges, a bribery charge at Redema Park and suspensions within the quarter horse industry. Some charges Cox knew of, others not, one she dismissed as everyone does it. Completely unfazed, Cox said, "I still think he is honest." 
Witness John Casler
Next to take the stand was John Casler, a former real estate broker who sold the homes Jesus Huitron built for ten years. During that time, Casler said he became familiar with  Huitron's family. Casler said Jesus was never in the office, that he always spent his time on the job sight overseeing the details, which made his homes easy to sell.
 
The witness said Jesus really knew nothing about the race horse business and didn't believe "Jesse" had any time for anything besides his family and home building because his devotion to each was so thorough.
Witness Ruby Segura
A real estate agent who worked with Jesus Huitron (at left) selling the spec houses he built, Segura said Jesus spent no time in his office and lived on the job site.

She said she knew Jesus had a ranch with horses but that was all. "He lived and breathed homebuilding. 
 
The prosecution and defense have now both finished presenting evidence in this federal money laundering trial against five codefendants who stand accused of laundering money for Los Zetas Cartel. Jurors will return next Wednesday to begin listening to final arguments.


Below is the interrogation video made at the time of Rejón's capture in Mexico


Displaying a flat affect during the interview, he then smiles when thinking of his mother

Narration in English
Interrogator: What is your name?
Rejón: Jesús Enrique Rejón Aguilar, aka El Mamito o El Caballero.
Interrogator: What is your date of birth, where are you from and how old are you?
Rejón: June 9th, 1976. I’m 35 years old, and I’m from Sabancuy, Campeche.
Interrogator: What do you do for a living?
Rejón: Drug trafficking.
Interrogator: For which organization?
Rejón: Los Zetas.
Interrogator: How did you join this organization, when?
Rejón: I deserted from the army, in 1999, I went to Reynosa and I met Decena, aka. Zeta 1.
Interrogator: Who created Los Zetas?
Rejón: It was Osiel, through Zeta 1. [Osiel Cardenas leader of CDG]
Interrogator: When they were originally created, how many members were there?
Rejón: At first we were seven. Then seven more were added to the original fourteen members.
Interrogator: Were you one of the founders?
Rejón: Yes.
Interrogator: Which number were you?
Rejón:Zeta 7.
Interrogator: What happened when Osiel was captured?
Rejón: When Osiel was captured, what happened later was that Jorge Costilla Sanchez [el Coss] took control of the organization.
Interrogator: What happened when Los Zetas separated from the Golfo?
Rejón: They [CDG] began to do business with La Familia Michoacána, El MayoZambada with el Chapo Guzman and people from Jalisco. They created their alliance, and when we broke away, they were already organized and began to kill our people. That’s when the organization was split in two: Los Zetas and Golfo Cartel.
Interrogator: And this is when the separation began between Golfo and Zetas?
Rejón: That’s when the separation began.
Interrogator: Are you basically at war with everyone?
Rejón: They, the Golfo, created an alliance [with them], and we’re at war with El Mayo, El Chapo, La Familia Michoacána, and Jalisco. We’re at war with all of them.
Interrogator: You know La Familia is from Michoacán, El Chango Mendez (leader of La Familia who was discovered to be distributing weapons purchased from the U.S. BATF) went to Aguascalientes to dialog with Los Zetas, was he asking you for protection?
Rejón: He was trying to reach out to us.
Interrogator: Why?
Rejón: To dialog because they killed all his people and he asked for our support.
Interrogator: Would that have been possible?
Rejón: In my opinion, whoever betrays you once, can betray you again, so it wouldn’t have been a good idea, but I don’t know what the commanders would think about that.
Interrogator: And La Tuta? [Leader of Knights Templar] Is there a relation between him and Los Zetas?
Rejón: No. His organization is with Golfo, so he’s our enemy.
Interrogator: The relationship between La Tuta, La Familia Michoacána and the Knights Templar with Golfo makes them your enemies?
Rejón: Yes, because they’re killing our people and we’re trying to stop them.
Interrogator: With respect to the relationship between Arturo Beltran and La Familia, then Beltran falls, then el Chayo falls, then Chango, what do you think happened in Michoacán?
Rejón: Michoacán collapsed because in essence, they didn’t keep their word. There was never a deal reached with them. In fact, when Arturo [Beltran] went down, there was a cease-fire, but they (LFM) broke it, and they went to war against Arturo and sought refuge with el Valencia.
Interrogator: So, after that everyone started to split off and work for themselves?
Rejón: Yes. That’s when the war started. By that time, we were already working for ourselves.
Interrogator: How did you all begin to work independently?
Rejón: Since we no longer had ties with anybody, we began to bring the material (drugs) ourselves.
Interrogator: How do you obtain the drugs? Which Colombian cartel do you work with?
Rejón: I do not know. That’s handled by different personnel. But it has always been brought through Guatemala because the Colombians are not trustworthy.
Interrogator: They bring it from somewhere else?
Rejón: From Guatemala. It can be bought from Colombia, Panama, or Guatemala. We buy it from Guatemala.
Interrogator: And where do you get your weapons?
Rejón: From the United States. All weapons come from the U.S.
Interrogator: How are they brought here?
Rejón: Crossing the river. We used to bring them through the bridge, but it’s become harder to do that.
Interrogator: Who purchases the weapons?
Rejón: They are bought in the U.S. The buyers have said that sometimes they would acquire them from the U.S. Government itself.
Interrogator: And nowadays, who distribute them to you?
Rejón: It’s more difficult for us to acquire weapons nowadays, but we find ways. But it’s easier for Golfo to bring them across the border.
Interrogator: Why?
Rejón: We don’t know why, but they bring them in the trunk of their cars without being checked One can only think that they must have reached a deal with the government.
Interrogator: How often are they smuggled?
Rejón: Today it’s more difficult so it’s more sporadic, like every month, every 20 days, or every month and a half. It’s done whenever there’s an opportunity.
Interrogator: And the drugs?
Rejón: The drugs are handled by a group of accountants. They handle that in private. It’s compartmentalized. Only they know how and when it’s smuggled to the United States. I suppose, with the way that things are right now, they probably smuggle the drug shipments every two or three months.
Interrogator: How is the drug shipments smuggled to the U.S.?
Rejón: They bring it to the U.S. through Laredo, but that’s done by a designated group handled by the accountants. They are responsible for all that.
Interrogator: Let’s talk about San Luis Potosi, do you remember the attack on the ICE agents?
Rejón Yes. They [Zetas] were travelling in a caravan of bullet-proof vehicles. They mistook them for other people and cut them off.
Interrogator: What’s happening in Tamaulipas?
Rejón: In Tamaulipas, there’s a war because of the separation of the cartels. But we’re on hold because there is too much government [soldiers] presence.
Interrogator: Tell me about the armored vehicles. How were they made? How many of these vehicles were under your command?
Rejón: Three, ..Five at one time.
Interrogator: And out of these five vehicles, what type were they?
Rejón They were armored trucks typically known as monsters.
Interrogator: Were you ever prepared for being captured?
Rejón: One always knows that sooner or later, we will be captured.
Interrogator: Is there someone you would like to ask for forgiveness?
Rejón: Like how?
Interrogator: For your actions, or disappointing somebody, perhaps your children or your family?
Rejón: (this question seems the only time he reflects emotion) Yes. My Mother, because since all of this has happened, I haven’t seen her, for 17 years.
Interrogator: Knowing that you haven’t seen your mother and that she’s still alive, how do you feel?
Rejón: It’s hard. It’s painful, but oh well…..
If you missed "Week 1" link here for "Week 2" link here
Note from Chivis:
We will be posting closing arguments by Friday and  will be on verdict watch.  Our courtroom source has agreed to allow us to write a little about him and his impression of being up close and personal to the case, after he is no longer going to the courthouse.  He has done an excellent job and now that we are near the finish I concede it was worth the long hours of research and editing. 
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El Recodo was paid $250,000 to play at Parties for Los Zetas

May 7, 2013, 9:20 pm
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Borderland Beat

It has been revealed that the musical band "El Recodo" was paid $250,000 to play at parties for "Los Zetas"

The popular "grupero" musical Mexican band "Banda El Recodo" has performed at private parties for the leaders of the criminal group "Los Zetas" said Jesús Enrique Rejón Aguilar, alias "El Mamito" or "Z7", who at one time was third in command for the criminal group, Los Zetas.

Rejón Aguilar was the star witness for the prosecution of the U.S. government in the trial against Jose Trevino Morales, brother of Miguel Angel Trevino Morales, alias "Z40" and against businessman Francisco Colorado Cessa Veracruz who are being tried for laundering millions of dollars in the race horse industry. Borderland Beat (BB) reporters Chivis Martinez and Havana have been reporting on the trial exclusively for BB.

The prosecutor Douglas Gardner questioned "El Mamito" on money laundering operations of "Los Zetas" through the purchase of Quarter Horses.

At the end of that interrogation Rejón Aguilar was asked "what was the favorite band of Miguel Angel Trevino", to which the witness replied: "La Banda El Recodo".

"How much was paid to the band to play at parties for Z40," asked the prosecutor, "$250,000 for a few hours," responded the capo, who was captured by Mexican authorities after the killing of US ICE agent Jaime Zapata on February 2011 in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

The band based out of Sinaloa state "El Recodo" is among many other popular musicians that have performed for powerful bosses of organized crime in Mexico.

Among other bands include Ramon Ayala, a "norteno" style musician who was detained in December 2009 while performing at a private party of Arturo Beltran Leyva and Edgar Valdez Villarreal, alias "La Barbie" in the state of Morelos.

Artists such as Jenni Rivera, Gloria Trevi, Tatiana, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Pesado and Vicente Fernandez, among others, have performed for major drug traffickers with fees ranging from $15,000 per night and up to $250,000 for a few hours.

Source:Procesoand Red Noticiero


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Uniforms and Insignia of the Mexican Narco

May 7, 2013, 10:36 pm
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Borderland Beat

The Mexican drugs cartels have always taken a brand style of promotional propaganda in their names and symbols to set them apart from other criminal organizations and to make their presence known in the plazas they control or dispute.

Most of the loyal readers of Borderland Beat who follow the drug cartel saga are familiar with the norm of the Mexican drug cartel evolution and the narco culture that premeditates through the music, movies and novelas (soap operas) and have become the identity meant to symbolize power and fear in the battle for plaza ownership in Mexico.
 
For example, any top capo that is anybody will have his 45 pistol or AK-47 gold plated with his insignia on it.

This video represents some of that narco propaganda that identifies some of the most well-known drug cartels. The video is somewhat long but worth a view to get some sense of the uniforms and insignia of the Mexican narco culture.

Video Source:Red Notociero


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Zetas Cartel Money Laundering Trial: VERDICT WATCH

May 8, 2013, 5:09 pm
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Chivis and Havana for Borderland Beat

 
Today closing arguments were heard by the jury and courtroom spectators, unfortunately it was not heard by our courtroom reporter as the courtroom was filled to the brim and he did not get a seat.

His last text reported that he may be able to gain a seat but only if a spectator leaves.  If that should happen and I receive his notes in the evening I will edit this post.  In the spirit of this day being timely, I am using some information of reporter Jazmine Ulloa's report,  Ms Ulloa is a reporter for the Austin Statesman and graciously allowed BB to do so.  She says she will post an expanded version of her article later this evening.   Be sure to follow the link to her report. 

My guess is that the verdict will be reached by tomorrow. I would be very surprised if it continued beyond Friday.

As one would expect, defense attorneys argued to the jury, the  inmates that served as witnesses for the state had no credibility.  Citing their criminal history of drug trafficking and murder, attorneys concluded the inmate witness’ testimony should be discounted for those reasons in addition to their cooperation was for personal gain.

Defense attorneys for Chevo and Jesus Huitron and trainer Fernando Solis Garcia, argued their client’s innocence stating the defendants had no knowledge funds were derived from criminal activities.   

“You heard a lot about Zetas. You heard a lot about horse racing,” said Brent Mayr, attorney representing for Jesus Huitron.”But the evidence against my client is just not there”, he said

“He was not a co-conspirator,” Mayr said. “He is a homebuilder. He is committed to building homes and building lives.”  This statement is one that was corroborated by at least two witnesses said in their testimony that Jesus really was wrapped up in family and house building, not horses.

Doulas Gardner the lead attorney representing the United States in this case, prompted jurors to examine the evidence; the photographs, wiretap transcripts and financial transactions.  He argued that in doing so jurors will identify the strong links connecting the defendants to the operation.

Update:  Our source was able to take a seat in the courtroom at about 10:15.  Tomorrow I will update and expand this report, and hopefully we will have a jury decision by then.
A big thank you to Jazmine Ulloa!
Read week 3 recap by linking here
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La Ruana, Village Besieged by Narcos (Michoacan)

May 8, 2013, 10:05 pm
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This town is under siege. It is in war. In some of faces of the people one can see courage, but in others fear. Some people try to get on with their lives, while some others chose to carry weapons and do not trust anything or anyone that doesn't seem normal ...

In this town population of 10,000, the town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, better known as La Ruana, and located in the Tierra Caliente of Michoacán, there has been no gas for almost two weeks. The tank trucks do not enter the area to supply the gas stations in this town near Apatzingán which is in the municipality of Buenavista Tomatlán.

The drivers of the trucks are threatened. If they chose to come anyways to bring the fuel, criminal groups set their trucks on fire or are executed. That is what they have been warned. Pemex stations are empty, with padlocks on pumps and with yellow tape that isolate them as if it was a crime scene.

There is no food or gas: 8 out of 10 shops are closed for business. The streets are half-empty. The grocers, market merchants cannot buy food in the center of the state.

Everyone that leaves here or arrives at the center of the capital Calentana has to present their credentials to IFE in check points at the entrances to the city. If they are found to have food for commercial sale, it is confiscated. Merchants opt to wait out in Colima and Jalisco, to avoid having their products confiscated.

But here gasoline, food and other basic cleaning materials are not the only commodities that are lacking; there is also a shortage of medicines. In fact, most of the doctors have fled the town; social programs such as "Oportunidades" have stopped operating for at least one month, according to the villagers.

Even the local priest took off.

At the sound of a blast from rockets to give a signal, the people come out to protest. Hundreds of people surround the cameraman, photographer and reporter for Milenio. One by one they want to talk, they want to stand in front of the camera, some with their faces covered while others are uncovered.

"We are fighting so they let us work but they will not let us work. We are starving. There are no doctors, no money, no gas, no work, and no food. There is nothing here. So how are we going to live? What we are doing is not war, we're just struggling to be free. I lost my husband and I have two children, and all they have is me. And I'm also going to die?" says a woman in anguish cloaked with a shirt.

"Now they have us threatened for Mother's Day, they say they have a gift for all the mothers on May 10, that that they are going to kill us like dogs. And the government,  what is it doing? The government does nothing," says another woman.

"We are already tired of this government that does nothing and the television broadcasters come to do interview after interview but still nothing happens. We do not receive any help from anyone. The only help we receive is from God and the government, where? Nothing. Reporters after reporters but we still do not get any help. We are now very angry," says the first woman.

Dozens of other citizens and dozens of men, applaud.

An old man asks for the microphone of Milenio:

"Our children have done nothing, our women have done nothing, our elders have done nothing. What are the farmers going to do? What are we going to do without fuel? With food, we get by as best we can, but with no fuel and no work," he says.

"The doctors have just left, they also took the priest. They're leaving with all the people, with everything, with everything," complains a young woman that does not have her face covered.

First they formed a so-called community policing (policía comunitaria), but 34 of the members were arrested with long guns two months ago and are still prisoners. Then came the paramilitaries (autodefensas).

We'll see what happens next. Another confrontation, surely. What is happening in La Ruana? That, which is shown by these armed people and evidence of battles, burned cars, luxury SUV's with crosses, symbol of the Templars, shot up and burned by the side of a road, the sides riddled with bullet holes. The town is under siege. It is in war. That's what happens. There is a war between the vigilante groups and The Knights Templar.

When did this start? Many people in this town use to be busy harvesting lemons, cooking. That is, now we have the synthetic drugs in laboratories, until of course they started fighting among each other. The villagers say they are just farmers defending themselves, but the Templars are accusing them of receiving support from the Cartel New Generation Jalisco (cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación), which might have used that excuse to enter the area.

In any case, the result is visible: more than 20 killed in the last two weeks from executions and two clashes. The last one occurred last Sunday when an Army battalion prevented a real slaughter. So lies La Ruana: a besieged town, waiting ... for what happens. What happens in plain view of state and federal authorities that do what they do on this day; check points that see them go and come from the town...

Source:Milenio





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