The cowardly murder of two priests and a tour guide in northern Mexico has made headlines for the last week, but for the country's crime-ridden border states, it's just another example of everyday criminality. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Helicopter gunships were deployed from the authorities to support the ground operation. Dozens of vehicles were set alight and at least two planes at Sinaloa airports were hit by gunfire, in attacks blamed on the Sinaloa cartel. Several other defendants indicted in El Paso in 2012 have pleaded guilty. with Heidi Campbell and Paul Brandeis Raushenbush Shows Urquidi was accused of smuggling drugs, weapons and cash through tanker trucks and airplanes. To view press conference, please seehttps://www.justice.gov/live. The next image they saw was a photograph of her lifeless body bleeding shortly after the recording. By the early 21st century the cartel had operations in more than 50 countries but was particularly dominant in the United States. January 31, 2022, How Tobacco Laws Could Help Close the Racial Gap on Cancer, Interactive Garland said Friday that the Sinaloa Cartel is "largely responsible" for the increased fentanyl trafficking into the U.S. . But on Monday, Mexican President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador blasted the U.S. for spying on the Sinaloa cartel without first gaining his government's permission. It is an offshoot of the Guadalajara cartel,. told Ada County jurors on Monday that she tested three DNA profiles in connection with Vallow's murder case, including Lori, her 16-year-old daughter, Tylee Ryan, and her friend Melanie Gibb The Sinaloa Cartel is one of the biggest and most powerful drug trafficking cartels in the world - and also the focus of Netflix's Narcos: Mexico. As part of a plea agreement, several other drug and weapon charges were dismissed, according to court records. According to the DEA, the "rapid expansion of its. The defendants, known collectively as the Chapitos, are Ivan Guzman Salazar, Alfredo Guzman Salazar, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, and Ovidio Guzman Lopez. According to reports at the time, it was responsible for the majority of illegal drugsnotably marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetaminesthat were smuggled from Mexico into its northern neighbour, and in 2015 U.S. officials claimed that Sinaloa controlled the drug markets in almost every state. As the Mexican government intensified its efforts to arrest suspected drug lords, he eluded capture, but other cartel leaders were imprisoned, weakening organizations and giving rise to splinter groups. Arturo Shows Urquidi and Mario Alberto Iglesias Villegas, who are cartel members, are on trial this week in U.S. federal court in El Paso. A long-standing rival of Sinaloa, Jurez has its stronghold in the north-central state of Chihuahua, across the border from New Mexico and Texas. "It's died down a bit," he says. Europe Program, What Northern Ireland Teaches Us About Ending the Ukraine War, Article A Congressional Research Service report details the scope and activities [PDF] of Mexicos drug trafficking groups. One also was convicted in thekilling of a U.S. citizen in the Wedding Murders" case. Iglesias became a member of the Sinaloa Cartel under Joaquin "Chapo" Guzman-Loera in early 2008. Its origins can be traced to the Guadalajara cartel, which was one of Mexicos largest crime organizations in the early 1980s. The 49-year-old Sinaloa Cartel member, who is suspected of having killed dozens, goes by the nickname "La Barbie" thanks to his blue eyes. The FBI San Diego Field Office and Washington Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations San Diego and Nogales Office, DEAs San Diego Division and Chicago Division, and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating the case. Mario De La O Lopez, aChihuahua state police officer, pleaded guilty June 15, 2017, to one count of continuing criminal enterprise. The United States and South Korea are marking their seventy-year alliance with a state visit amid tighter defense collaboration. with Justin Trudeau Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? Sinaloa cartel, international crime organization that is among the most-powerful drug-trafficking syndicates in the world. In an interview with Insight Crimes Katie Jones, University of Warwick Professor Benjamin T. Smith explains how his book The Dope unpacks misperceptions about Mexicos drug trade. April 20, 2023 And Guzmn, the 32-year-old son of former Sinaloa cartel. March 23, 2023 We are grateful to them. The vehicle was guarded during transport, he added. The witness said his hands were ordered cut off as a message not to steal from the cartel. . Sinaloa cartel assassins group leader 'Grim Reaper' gets life in 'Wedding Murders' case. Ukraine remains intent on wresting Crimea back from Russia, but doing so would be difficult, and the peninsula could become a bargaining chip in future diplomatic talks. Amy Tikkanen is the general corrections manager, handling a wide range of topics that include Hollywood, politics, books, and anything related to the. At least 29 people were killed during the bloody operation to arrest of the son of Mexican drugs kingpin "El Chapo", the Mexican authorities say. The groom,Rafael Morales Valencia,who was fromColumbus, New Mexico,his brother, Jaime Morales Valencia, and their uncle, Guadalupe Morales Arreola, were kidnapped and killed during a drug war between the Sinaloa and Jurez drug cartels, according to court testimony and court documents. Over the decades, they have grown, splintered, forged new alliances, and battled one another for territory. Mr Guzmn-Lpez - nicknamed "The Mouse" - was extracted by helicopter and flown to the capital before being taken to a maximum security federal prison. The US announced an award of $5m for information leading to Mr Guzmn-Lpez's arrest. April 19, 2023 Since Mexico launched a war on the cartels in 2006, the United States has provided it with billions of dollars in security and counternarcotics assistance. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, Mexican cartels represent the greatest drug-related threat, supplying heroin, marijuana, methamphetamines, and other drugs, to the United States. Suspect in "killer clown" case pleads guilty in 1990 murder of Florida . Several other drug and weapon charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement, according to court records. The group formed when the Beltrn-Leyva brothers split from Sinaloa in 2008. However, some vigilantes have committed rights abuses, including the recruitment of child fighters; allegedly maintained ties to cartels in exchange for weapons and protection; and even turned to organized crime themselves. Possibly fearing extradition to the United States, Guzmn escaped from prison in 2001. Updates? The fuselage of a plane scheduled to fly from Culiacn to Mexico City was hit by gunfire during the operation on Thursday morning as it was preparing for take-off, Mexican airline Aeromexico said. Defense lawyers claimed that was clear motivefor the witnesses to lie and tell stories that fit with the federal prosecutors narrative. If youre shopping for a new purse, check out these luxurious bags that look quite high-end, but cost less than $100. Garland said Friday that the Sinaloa Cartel is "largely responsible" for the increased fentanyl trafficking into the U.S. The drugs would be smuggled into El Paso and taken to other U.S. cities, while weapons and money earned from the drugs would be smuggled back across the border, witnesses testified duringthe trial. More:Reputed Sinaloa drug cartel members set to go on trial Monday in El Paso, More:El Paso trial of reputed Sinaloa members focuses on drug cartel's operations, methods. Jalisco splintered from Sinaloa in 2010 and is among Mexicos fastest-growing cartels, with operations in more than two-thirds of the country. On that day, convoys of gunmen from El Chapo's Sinaloa Cartel clashed with rival gunmen from the Beltran Leyva Cartel. Law enforcement officers also acted as bodyguards forhigh ranking members of the cartel, according to testimony. The woman who had been recorded was flanked by a man with a rifle as she asked questions. The witness said he had driven a vehicle and transported Salcedo. The growing use of synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, has contributed to a public health crisis. The country has seen more than 360,000 homicides since 2006, when the government declared war on the cartels. ", Officials added, "Agents and officers likewise seized hundreds of weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition intended to be smuggled into Mexico to assist the Cartels battle to take control of Juarez and the local drug trafficking corridors. However, it has lost power in recent years and fractured into rival wings, the most prominent being the Northeast Cartel. But during and after the arrest, 10 soldiers and 19 . Monaco highlighted the need to combat drug trafficking and fentanyl proliferation on social media, telling reporters on Friday that she and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram met with social media companies last week discuss how social media companies "must do more to stop the sale of fentanyl on their platforms.". He remains detained in Mexico pending extradition proceedings. Authorities noted that Sinaloa, along with other cartels, had become increasingly involved in the distribution of fentanyl, which contributed to the growing opioid crisis in the United States. Mexico later deployed twenty-five thousand National Guard members to secure its borders, which some experts say increased violence and diminished the countrys cartel-fighting capacity. "The United States government is using every tool at its disposal to combat the fentanyl epidemic," Garland said, "Many of us have heard the stories of those who have lost loved ones to fentanyl poisoning. Nationwide, the country registered 493 drug-related deaths that month, 64 of them . Weekly. Once led by the Chapitos father, Joaquin Guzman Loera, aka El Chapo, and Ismael Zambada Garcia, aka El Mayo, the Sinaloa Cartels members and associates allegedly including the Chapitos smuggled significant quantities of drugs through Mexico and into the United States. He was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison. He also recalled the kidnapping of a man named Sergio Salcedo who was moved from one safe house to another in Jurez. Justine Goldbas, 32, was travelling on a bus through Sinaloa on her way back home to Los Angeles with her husband and eight-year-old son - just before the riots began on Thursday. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. But during and after the arrest, 10 soldiers and 19 suspects were killed. The Bush administration focused heavily on providing Mexico with security-related assistance, including counternarcotics and counterterrorism support. "There was a lot of fear, people were scared," Ms Goldbas said. Iglesias-Villegasalso was convicted of five counts of violent crimes in aid of racketeeringand one count each of conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, and kidnapping and aiding and abetting kidnapping. This timeline traces the role of the outside forces that have beleaguered eastern Congo since the end of the colonial era. But many drug policy experts say this won't slow fentanyl deaths. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. The initiative has evolved to reflect the priorities of national leaders. The news comes just one day after Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco met with members of Mexican security officials in Washington, D.C. in part to discuss the fentanyl crisis. November 11, 2022 / 6:06 AM / CBS/AP Nine people are dead, including four women, after gunmen burst into a bar and opened fire in the violence-wracked Mexican state of Guanajuato, authorities said. 2023 BBC. SAN DIEGO Four sons of Joaqun Guzmn Loera, the imprisoned former Sinaloa Cartel leader known as El Chapo, were indicted by a federal grand jury for large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering and violent crimes in connection with their assumption of cartel leadership following their fathers arrest and extradition to the United States. Iglesias was the head of a group of Sinaloa Cartel sicarios (assassins) until his arrest in 2012. Culiacan Airport resumed operations on Friday. . Murders, dismemberment, mockery of the corpse of a murdered gang member. The bodies of eight men and two women were. The indictment alleges that the Chapitos moved drugs and money on a grand scale, and secured and maintained power with intimidation and violence, said IRS-CI Chief Jim Lee. Sinaloa notably gained territory from both the Tijuana and Jurez cartels, solidifying its position as one of the worlds most-powerful drug syndicates. / CBS News. Asia Program. In Brief In sweeping indictments, the Justice Department targeted two dozen operatives in the Chapitos network of the Sinaloa cartel. Since then, all four brothers have been arrested or killed, but their loyalists continue to operate throughout Mexico. Another splinter group of the BLO, Los Rojos operates in central and southwestern Mexico and relies largely on kidnapping and extortion. The amount of fentanyl seized by Mexican authorities nearly quintupled between 2019 and 2020. They have become a formidable force against the cartels in states including Guerrero and Michoacn. Last updated September 7, 2022 2:45 pm (EST), By entering your email and clicking subscribe, you're agreeing to receive announcements from CFR about our products and services, as well as invitations to CFR events. Powerful figures in the Guadalajara organization, the two men became leaders in the Sinaloa cartel. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( Local search efforts to find the missing and prosecute those responsible have often been stymied by cartel-related violence, government incompetence and corruption, and other factors. She said online platforms are usually where the initial contact between buyer and sellers occurs and described social media applications as the "super highway" of the fentanyl supply chain. Sinaloa Cartel. Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The unchecked power of organized crime was on full display this October, when hundreds of gunmen for the Sinaloa Cartel laid siege to the city of Culiacn in broad daylight, forcing the. All rights reserved. How to Prepare for the Future After Seven Decades of the U.S.-South Korea Alliance, In Brief El Paso Live presents events for month of May, First Republic Bank seized, sold in fire sale to, Washington Gov. And while Zambada-Imperial was certainly once a power player in the Sinaloa Cartel, seven years is an age in criminal terms. CFRs Global Conflict Tracker looks at criminal violence in Mexico. Washington Federal prosecutors unsealed criminal charges against 28 members and associates of the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel including the three sons of former drug lord Joaqun "El Chapo" Guzmn accusing them of orchestrating a transnational fentanyl trafficking operation into the United States. "The pioneers in hanging bodies were the Zetas cartel during the war against the Sinaloa Cartel in Coahuila and Tamaulipas states around the '90s," said David Saucedo, a Mexico-based security analyst. Testimony came from several Mexicanlocal and state law enforcement officers who were working for the cartels and taking bribes to ignore the drug and weapon trafficking done by the criminal organization. The cartels that pose the most significant drug trafficking threats [PDF] to the United States, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), are: A curation of original analyses, data visualizations, and commentaries, examining the debates and efforts to improve health worldwide. With U.S. assistance, the Mexican military captured or killed twenty-five of the top thirty-seven drug kingpins in Mexico. Murdered Protesters On March 2010, six farmers who had been protesting the building of a dam near Culiacan, Sinaloa were gunned down by Sinaloa Cartel gunmen during a firefight. A witness said Jos Antonio Marrufo, who was at the helm of the Sinaloas operations in Jurez, had a team of people that dealt with murders, kidnappings and dumping of bodies. The Chapitos and members of the Sinaloa Cartel also allegedly obtained, manufactured, and transported other drugs, including marijuana, heroin, and methamphetamine, knowing and intending that such drugs would be imported into and distributed throughout the United States. Mexico 9 307 13 0. On Friday, the Treasury Department also announced sanctions against two Chinese companies for their role in supplying the precursor chemicals. Iglesias-Villegas also was convicted for his participation in the kidnapping and eventual murder of Horizon City residentSergio Saucedo, officials said. According to the Justice Department, both sides "pledged" to increase information-sharing and cooperation on criminal investigations. by Olivia Angelino, Thomas J. Bollyky, Elle Ruggiero and Isabella Turilli https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sinaloa-cartel, The Brookings Institution - How the Sinaloa Cartel rules, El Chapo sons charged with smuggling cheap fentanyl to US, El Chapo sons among 28 Sinaloa cartel members charged by US. Arturo Shows Urquidi and Mario Alberto Iglesias Villegas, who are cartel members, are on trial this week in U.S. federal court in El Paso. The question brought a stop to the testimony and federal Judge Frank Montalvo excused the jury for the day as he discussed the video with attorneys.
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