The Return of “ El Atlante”

Alfonso Lira Sotelo returned to the criminal struggle for the territory in Baja California. Investigators say he is recruiting criminal groups by selling them cheaper drugs. He was released after three years of being accused of carrying weapons, possession of drugs and being presented as a criminal operator of the Sinaloa Cartel for Mexico and in the United States.

The criminal group formed by the members of the Arellano Félix Cartel (CAF), allied with Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG),  exposed his release through a narcomanta and the authorities of the Coordination Group confirmed it: Alfonso Lira Sotelo "El Atlante" was released, and they confirmed that he has been out almost two months trying to resume his criminal leadership in Baja California.

This man was identified by the Coordination Group as a drug trafficker, head of a cell dedicated to the trafficking of drugs and settling accounts in Tecate, but with mobility throughout the coastal area of ​​Baja California. Throughout his criminal history he has served as a head of  criminal cells of several factions of the Sinaloa Cartel, and at some point they operated with lieutenants identified with the CAF.

Since 2014, Lira was registered as a prisoner of the Federal Center for Social Readaptation (Cefereso) Number 2 "Occidente", with DOB: May 24, 1970, 1.68 meters tall and 73 kilos in weight, married, native of the Federal District, by profession merchant and used the aliases of Pedro Hernández Pérez, Jorge Martínez Sotelo and Rogelio Bahena Martínez. 

According to his file, the alleged crimes committed were: "carrying a firearm and possession of drugs". 

According to his criminal record, updated on November 28, 2017, his status on that date was marked "RELEASED". That same day, his lawyer filed an amparo for lack of medication and medical attention; requested the performance of a surgery that was necessary, the condition and/or disease is not mentioned.

The amparo requested was granted, and upon being notified the director of  Cefereso, on December 12, 2017,  informed the Third District Judge in criminal matters that Lira Sotelo "... is not part of the active population of said penitentiary center." This document was published on December 20, 2017, under file 1970/2017.

The unofficial version by the Coordination Group is that "El Atlante" was released approximately two months ago, and since then his strategy to recover his territory has been to sell  cheaper drugs to those who criminally control the streets of the coastal zone in Baja California in order to recruit them. 

However, no official confirmation had been given until Thursday, January 4, 2018, when the C4 received a report of a large narcomanta at 2:42 am which was hanging on the pedestrian bridge located at the corner of Calle Ramón Alarid and Federico Benítez Boulevard in the La Mesa delegation, with the following message:

NOTE: I am not even going to attempt to translate that message although I get the drift, Have at it readers or not. It is your basic threatening message with foul language letting "El Atlante" know that although he is out on the streets once more: "ATT: CTNG IS STRONGER THAN EVER".

This narco manta was added to two others that were posted last week. Written with the same type handwriting and signed off similarly; the same message  assured that the cartel that they call CTNG is "stronger than ever". In these mantas criminals and traffickers are presented as benefactors, ensuring that they bring " help to the people" and that they will no longer charge piso to the merchants of swap meets Siglo XXI and Las Carpas.

On September 18, 2014, the National Security Commission (CNS) confirmed through a press release that two days before they had captured "El Atlante", Alfonso Lira Sotelo, " and that he was also wanted by the justice of the United States."

They added: "It is known that this group is in a dispute over the control of both the entry of drugs into the United States via San Diego, California, and the sale of drugs in Tijuana," and with his arrest they had complied with his localization, warrant order and delivery of Alfonso Lira Sotelo.

"El Atlante" was imprisoned for three years, during which time his name continued to be heard.

In April 2015, the State Security Council of Baja California reported that his criminal cell, to which his brothers Javier, "El Carnicero" or "El Hanibal", and Delia were integrated, was operating in the entity in support and with the coordination of "Los Payán", relatives of Rafael Caro Quintero, who was released from jail on August 9, 2013 after a State Court had determined that he had been tried improperly. However, do to pressure from the US a Mexican Federal Court issued another arrest warrant for Caro Quintero on August 14 2013. He has , however, remained a fugitive and is wanted in the US, Mexico and several other countries.

Between August and September 2015, the authorities announced "El Atlante's" capture, by Interpol, of Omar Guadalupe Ayón Díaz and Osvaldo Contreras Arriaga at an airport in Colombia, accused of laundering 45 million dollars of the Sinaloa Cartel through Casas de Cambio located in Tijuana and which were operated by " El Atlante's" family.

Note: I read recently that out of the hundreds if not thousands of Casas de Cambio in TJ only THREE were actually licensed with all the correct government and legit business documents.

A year later, in September 2016, the US Treasury Department, through the Office for the Control of Foreign Assets (OFAC, for its acronym in English), ordered the freezing of assets of Alfonso Lira Sotelo and those of his brothers Javier and Alma Delia Lira Sotelo, and citizens were prohibited from carrying out any commercial or financial transactions with these people.

However, as of  November 28, 2017 "El Atlante " is free, without charges in Mexico, and his release shows that the United States did not claim him either.