Borderland Beat
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(AFN). - Eduardo Arellano Felix, the last of the kingpins of that family who was arrested in Tijuana in 2008, was extradited to the U.S. and, as confirmed by the prosecutor Laura E. Duffy, head of the Southwest District of California. Arellano Felix will face charges of racketeering money laundering and drug trafficking among other crimes.
55 years old and known as "The Doctor", Arellano Felix was handed over by the government of Mexico that he, like his brothers and other members of this organization, will face accountability for their criminal actions, which cost many lives.
In announcing this action Duffy recalled that Arellano Felix was arrested by Mexican authorities in Tijuana, on October 25, 2008. As reported at the time by AFN, the drug dealer was finally arrested after an intense firefight. He was hiding in a residential area called Lomas del Pedregal, next to the Buena Vista ramp. The luxury residence still shows signs of that battle.
Duffy said that in 2010 the U.S. government obtained a final order of extradition of drug lord, however spent two years fighting the appeals by the defense.
She said the first hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday, September 4, in the District Court of the United States in San Diego, before Judge Barbara Lynn Major.
Duffy thanked the Mexican government and said that extradition achieved, is an important step in the efforts of the U.S. government "to bring another key figure in the Arellano Felix organization (to) justice in an U.S. court on these charges ".
Lanny A. Breuer, of the Justice Division of the Department of State also considered this extradition as a "milestone" in the fight against Mexican drug cartels and took the opportunity to thank the Criminal Division's Office of International Affairs "for their tireless work to help ensure that Eduardo Arellano Felix and many of his co-conspirators in the United States, face justice.”
Meanwhile, William R. Sherman, special agent in charge of the DEA, said that the extradition of Eduardo Arellano Felix the day "marks the end of 20 years of investigation" by the counternarcotics agency against this drug cartel. He also said that this action shows that the DEA and law enforcement colleagues, will relentlessly pursue these traffickers until they are brought to justice.
Another intercession of the authorities, who helped to make this event successful, was the result of Daphne Hearn, FBI Special Agent in San Diego, who said that agency was pleased with Mexico's efforts to bring to justice the leader "of one of the most violent criminal organizations in our history." He stressed the spirit of cooperation between the two countries, as a powerful force to disrupt the criminal activities of these groups that spread fear and threat to the security of citizens in the border regions of the United States.
The U.S. attorney's office noted that the Arellano Felix, has been one of the most notorious multinational drug organizations that controlled the flow of cocaine, marijuana and other drugs into the United States through the Mexican border cities Tijuana and Mexicali from Colombia and Southern Mexico.
In its indictment against the brothers, the U.S. government said Eduardo Arellano was doing business with an illegal enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity (RICO), conspiracy to import and distribute cocaine and marijuana and money laundering.
It is noted that the leaders of this organization negotiated directly with Colombian cocaine traffickers to purchase several tons of cocaine, receiving shipments by sea and air in Mexico.
The cartel then organized cocaine smuggling to the United States and subsequent distribution throughout the United States.
His brothers, Benjamin and Francisco Javier, serving sentences in the United States after having been found guilty of charges of racketeering, drug trafficking and money laundering. Benjamin received a deal negotiated with U.S. prosecutor’s office exchange for his guilty plea.
The case of Eduardo Arellano Felix was investigated by agents of the DEA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Criminal Investigation Service of the IRS. The case now is transferred to the Special Prosecutor Southwest District of California and other authorities.
