15 notable members of CAF arrested throughout 2012
The Ministry of Public Safety in Tijuana, (SSPE) announced that to date, authorities have detained 15 operators, lieutenants, or cell leaders of the criminal group, led by Fernando Sanchez Arellano, known as Ingeniero.
In the Spring, the Army captured Javier Uriarte Hernandez, 'El Chapito, with weapons, and 180 kilograms of marijuana, on Blvd Aguacaliente in Tijuana.Chapito, was the subject of a Zeta Magazine profile a few weeks earlier, detailing his bloody history with the cartel, his actions against Teodoro Simental Garcia, and his vicious feud with Alfredo Azarte Arteaga, 'El Aquiles'. In statements after his detention, Chapito claimed to be no more then an independent drug trafficker, fearing for his life, in the narco politics of Tijuana's organized crime groups.
In May, an associate of Manuel Arturo Villareal Heredia, '6-1', was arrested. 'El Pit' was a close associate of Villareal Heredia, who led a murder/kidnap cell, under Javier Francisco Arellano, in the early 2000's. Another cousin of Villareal Heredia was detained in Tecate, Francisco Lopez Heredia, was detained with 1,000 plus grams of crystal, and alleged to be one of the main retail drug operators in the city of Tecate. Three police officers linked with Arellano Felix were arrested later in May.
In June, authorities arrested a man with 90k, allegedly from drug sales in the Los Angeles area, from operators affiliated with, or working directly for Arellano Felix, the money was said to be Ingeniero's, personally. A month later, Julio Cesar Salaes Quiones, 'El M4' was detained by elements of the Army, after a chase, in which Quiones injured himself while running. M4 spent his life in the CAF, and was a confidante of long fallen leaders, such as Ramon Arellano, and Gustavo Riveria Martinez, 'El EP 1'. Quoines was wanted for a variety of drug and homicide related offenses, but one noteworthy was the trafficking of 500 kilos from Tijuana into the United States in 1995. M4 was also one of the groups most active in the fight against Los Teos.
Days after 'El M4', Luis Manuel Toscano, 'El Mono' was arrested by Federal Police in Zona Norte, following a sweeping Federal operation of the area. Toscano allegedly answered to Sanchez Arellano, and was in control of the Zona Norte district on his behalf, controlling retail drug sales in the profitable area.
Toscano and Los Litos run by the Garcia brothers were said to have been engaging in a feud for control. 'El Mono' was 34 years old, and a native of Manzanillo, Colima. Information taken from the arrest of Sales Quiones resulted in the arrest.In August, Alfredo Meza Garcia, 'El Tacks', was arrested, with extradition warrants from both the DEA, and the ICE. Meza Garcia was said to be a principal lieutenant of Sanchez Arellano. As of October 2012, authorties state 15 lieutenants or important arrests have been made, 455,000 grams of marijuana seized, roughly 3,0000 grams of crystal, and eleven vehicles, as well as over 100,000 US dollars. Several things are left out of this presentation including cocaine seizures, and weapons seizures.
Sources AFN Tijuana, Zeta Tijuana
