Borderland Beat
![]()
Tijuana, BC. A total of $ 90 000 USD, presumably generated by drug sales in the East Los Angeles, California, were seized on Saturday in this city to a man identified as Cardenas Sosa Othniel.
The State Secretariat of Public Security (SSPE) reported that in an operation implemented in Colonia Francisco Villa in the south of the border, agents of the State Preventive Police (PEP) arrested Sosa Cardenas.
 |
| Photo:Reuters |
In a statement, the state agency reported that Sosa Cardenas, 47, was arrested while driving a vehicle in which, after a rigorous inspection, agents found the $ 90,000 in bills of various denominations.
Cardenas Sosa said the money was proceeds of drug sales in Los Angeles, California, and owned by the Arellano Felix brothers, specifically, he said, belongs to Fernando Sanchez Arellano, known as "El Ingeniero" (The Engineer), is the leader of the Tijuana drug cartel.
The 47 year old Sosa Cardenas, says he lives in Los Angeles and is a legal U.S. resident.
When cornered, the man who is also known by the alias of "El Oto" told officers, "if I let go I give you the amount of $ 50,000", an action that was rejected by the agents.
Othniel Sosa Cardenas, alias El Oto, was arrested and brought before the Public Ministry of Federal Jurisdiction.
The Tijuana cartel, one of Mexico's oldest criminal organizations, was founded by Fernando Sanchez Arellano's uncles, the Arellano Felix brothers.
Sanchez Arellano's mother, Enedina Arellano Felix, is considered the cartel's financial brains.
The Tijuana cartel, once one of Mexico's most powerful criminal organizations, has been weakened dramatically in recent years by the arrests of some of its top leaders.
Sources: EFE, El MEX
