This is a very significant operation that took a massive amount of drugs and a large number of drug traffickers off our streets, United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn said in a statement. According to the DEA's assessment, however, the amount of US territory controlled by Mexican cartels has shifted slightly from 2015 to 2016. Inside the vehicle, the indictment says, investigators found 5,636.88 grams of cocaine also packaged as bricks with the word "CHANEL" stamped on them. One group who hopes to mitigate any risks is the Blue Line Protection Group, which specializes only in security for the marijuana stores. DENVER Authorities on Wednesday announced the indictments of 30 people who are accused of being members of a Denver-based drug trafficking group with suspected ties to a Mexican cartel, according to officials and court documents. Marshals Service The Flores brothers admitted to smuggling at least 1,500 kgs of cocaine for the Sinaloa cartel into the US every month between 2005 and 2008. Tarango-Rodriguez went into the address and returned with two trash bags, which the indictment said were given to occupants of Trevizo's vehicle. Tarango-Rodriguez said in the calls that the "buttons" Rivera-Beltran had were not good. 'My son was a good person and he didn't deserve the way they killed him,' she said. The suspected traffickers sold meth, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl pills in Colorado and transported funds from the drug sales to groups in California, and then eventually to Mexico, according an indictment in the case. Kaitlin is a public safety reporter with a focus on investigations. Defendants have denied involvement in the scheme. The legal marijuana industry could be the fastest growing sector of the. Jalisco New Generation Cartel is the only Mexican cartel that uses New York City as a major hub. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. DENVER (AP) - The U.S. Department of Justice says two Mexican cartels are active in five Colorado cities. ", Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Maybe he was hoping the Zetas would kidnapped that girl because she was stupid enough to follow him there. Contests & Promotions, 2023, Pikes Peak Television, Inc. Colorado Springs, CO, USA, Special Forces soldier who never quit to receive Medal of Honor nearly 60 years after grueling firefight, DOJ ramps up its allegations that Texas is judge-shopping in cases against Biden, Germanys Olaf Scholz to meet Biden on Friday after transformative year, Woman pleads guilty to threatening Michigan 2020 election official. Los Zetas Cartel is also the only Mexican cartel that uses Dallas as a major hub. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Joaquin Guzman, the Mexican drug lord known as "El Chapo," entered a Colorado prison known as "the Alcatraz of the Rockies" on Friday to begin a life sentence after being found guilty of a raft of crimes including conspiracy to commit murder. The restaurants would buy food from El Potosino and accept invoices for items they did not order or receive so checks could be cut to the company and Aguilar-Martinez, 48, who is in the U.S. illegally, the complaint said. In a second picture that was posted online, Mata is seen with a rifle and an army fatigue green vest that appeared to have grenades concealed. On Sept. 17, the indictment says, Rivera-Beltran called and offered money to Jose Guadalupe Ortiz to drive both of them to Texas, then Arizona. Surez, who hours before the incident had learned he was going to be a father for the first time, was shot 12 times and died. On, Oct. 29, the indictment says Rivera-Beltran called Rodriguez and asked him to fly to Phoenix and drive the pills to Denver, and GPS pings show he flew from Denver to Phoenix that night. All rights reserved. It's Denver and the suburbs, Greeley with all the cholos, Longmont and Colorado Springs then it makes it's way to College students thru networks. The DEA's 2020 National Drug Threat Assessment lists nine Mexican cartels, including El Chapo's Sinaloa Cartel, as the major importers of drugs to the U.S. in 2020. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 17 defendants for drug trafficking in direct connection with a Mexican drug cartel. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Of the 17 defendants, 11 are from Mexico, four from El Salvador, and two are from California. The Sinaloa Cartel, often described as the largest and most powerful drug trafficking organization in the Western Hemisphere, is an alliance of some of Mexico's top capos. The Jalisco New Generation cartel, which reportedly provided security for the Sinaloa cartel before splintering off, is considered by the Drug Enforcement Agency to be a top US threat and the best-armed criminal group in Mexico, according to a report from the Congressional Research Service. A seventh restaurant with ties to Colorado Springs also was named in the complaint. The organization also predicted. Wilberto Mata was shot 10 times by soldiers following a high-speed chase pre-dawn Sunday after the driver, 21-year-old American Gustavo Surez, failed to stop. They've inspired songs and telenovelas. On Sept. 29, the indictment says Rivera Beltran called Antonio Ortiz and they spoke how they didn't have anyone bringing heroin to Colorado, and said that Alberto "Chemo" Sanchez Rodriguez could even though he usually only transported money. DENVER Details of an eight-month investigation into a Colorado-based drug trafficking organization with links to a Mexican cartel have been released in a grand jury indictment. Analysts are still trying to work out the long-term effect this shift will have on Mexican cartel finances and violence. More information about the case was not available on Wednesday, as some of the court documents remained sealed. Zytacua had a source named "Jessica" whom he spoke to about AK-47 rifles, drugs and working with people from Nayarit, Mexico, according to the indictment. All rights reserved. Sinaloa Cartel is one of the oldest and most successful drug cartels in Mexico. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | KRDO Jobs | FCC Applications |, KRDO FCC Public File | KRDO FCC Applications, Breaking News The coalition's members operate in concert to protect themselves, relying on connections at the highest levels and corrupting portions of the federal police . On Sept. 19, Rivera-Beltran called Beltran-Beltran and spoke about "chocolate" (believed to be heroin), "paint" (believed to be liquid meth), and prices of meth. A lot of "somebody's" are buying this stuff cause the shipments keep coming and the dollars keep going to the cartels? All rights reserved. Inside Matt Hancock's 41-hour battle to save his career when photo of 'a snog and heavy petting' Will Vladimir Putin's empress pay the ultimate price for his war on the West? Last week, the US government also took action against a network of Sinaloa Cartel members and associated entities for their involvement in providing chemicals to super labs that produce illicit drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine for the cartel once run by the notorious drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzmn. It is also the most significant drug trafficking organization in the United States. Jeff Dorschner, Spokesman for the Colorado U.S. Attorneys Office, told Breitbart Texas, During the course of this investigation law enforcement determined that a Mexican Cartel was involved. He told the informant the trap cars he ordered were not ready and had to be redone. "What is quite possible is that cartels will hire straw owners who have clean records who can apply for a license, then sell large quantities both legally and on the black market," Villasuso said. The gangs appear to be targeting stores, vehicles and bystanders in response to disputes or attempts to capture gang members. The informant continued to negotiate prices for more meth with Padilla-Romo throughout June, and the indictment says Romo mentioned he was going to get more from Jesus Tarango-Rodriguez. Los Zetas Cartel is the least influential of the 6 Mexican cartels, but this doesn't mean that its members aren't dangerous people. Commerce City Police Department officers identified the driver as Trevizo and a passenger as Misael Acosta-Garcia. The Sinaloa Cartel Is Controlling Water in Drought-Stricken Mexico "Water is now a valuable asset for us, and as it becomes more scarce, the more we will fight to make sure we have enough," a. Drug cartel gunmen invaded Culiacan International Airport in the western Mexican province of Sinaloa and opened fire . "In the past 31 days of 2023, there have been 1,937 Mexican Cartel drone's incursions in three South Texas border counties," according to a preview of Martinez's remarks as a witness in the House . "Consistent with previous years, the Sinaloa Cartel maintains the widest national influence, with its most dominant positions along the West Coast, in the Midwest, and in the Northeast. Zambada now is assumed to head the Sinoloa Cartel. That would be one way to break up with someone you don't like, huh? The Sinaloa Cartel had its origin in 1989, after Miguel ngel Flix Gallardo, the main leader of the Guadalajara Cartel, was captured and transferred to a maximum security prison and could not continue with the control of his organization, causing a division that would give life to two new cartels, among them the one in Sinaloa. On the eve of the Super Bowlwhere the Mexican avocado producers again ran their ad as they have for the past decade . Agents discovered several calls between Padilla-Romo and Tarango-Rodriguez where they spoke about prices for pounds of "work," which investigators believed to be meth, according to the indictment. Seven of the defendants are considered fugitives. He later bragged to movie star Sean Penn: I supply more heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana than anybody else in the world. "In recent years, the Gulf cartel has weakened due to the arrest of key leaders in Mexico and intra-cartel conflict, which has led to a decline in its drug trafficking influence in the United States.". They each face homicide, bodily injury and disobedience charges. Sinaloa Cartel is one of the oldest and most successful drug cartels in Mexico. The CJNG is believed to be engaging multiple rival organizations, the Sinaloa cartel in particular, in violent turf wars in several areas on Mexico's west coast. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Rivera-Beltran also said that he found customers in Arizona who were buying 5,000 to 7,000 fentanyl pills, according to the indictment. Daily Briefing Investigators said Rivera-Beltran's comments proved he knew about the drugs at the stash house (some of which were discovered in the locations he mentioned), as well as his participation in the drug conspiracy and clean-up efforts, according to the indictment. On July 20, the indictment says, Tarango-Rodriguez began discussing a drug deal with Martin Ivan Trevizo, and decided on a carport at 6600 Kearney Street as a meeting location. These cartels primarily employ Mexican nationals to oversee their distribution operations in the United States. On Aug 19., the indictment says, state troopers stopped Anali Saavedra Flores on I-25. The-CNN-Wire & 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. The Biden administration has sanctioned eight Mexican companies it says are involved in a timeshare fraud scheme benefiting the Jalisco cartel, a notorious drug organization that the US government says traffics a significant proportion of the illegal fentanyl and other drugs that enter the US. They set up a perimeter around the area and insisted those inside turn themselves in. Nuevo Laredo is the worst of all the border cities for kidnapping US citizens. The footage of the massacre was released Wednesday and is part of the increasing violence in the southern Mexican state of Geurrero, reports said. Tarango-Rodriguez and Martiza exchanged multiple phone calls the morning after the search warrant was served, and the indictment said Rivera-Beltran could be heard talking to Tarango-Rodriguez in the calls. That same day, agents confirmed the car was in the woman's address in Phoenix, Arizona, according to the indictment. A video showed a Mexican cartel lining up. "Legal businesses will likely see a rise in extortion attempts while law enforcement will see a lot of backdoor deals being made.". > Top stories from 9NEWS curated daily just for you! A Colorado Springs food distribution company and at least six local Mexican restaurants are linked to the Sinoloa Cartel and drug lordsJoaqun El Chapo Guzmn-Lorea and Ismael El Mayo Zambada-Garcia, says a recently released federal complaint providing the first evidence of cartels operating in Colorado Springs. Their families would laugh and say keep them. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. According to the US Treasury, who coordinated with the Mexican government, the perpetrators of the fraud have at times falsely claimed to represent US government entities. On Sept. 23, the indictment says Rivera-Beltran called asking Guadalupe Ortiz to bring his birth certificate and some money from Colorado to Arizona, and Guadalupe Ortiz said he would fly down. The five men were shot and killed when Surez, a resident from San Antonio, Texas, refused orders to pull over. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, I keep reading how "nobody" wants that Mexican "shit weed"? They go by nicknames like "The Little Queen" and "The Missus.". The 21-year-old was driving the pickup truck that crashed into a parked car after he refused orders from the military to pull over. we are going to pay the farmers, again, $100. Documents filed Wednesday . In addition to more than 110,000 fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills, the DEA said it seized numerous other drugs and weapons. CJNG continues to be the Mexican TCO with second-most widespread national influence. Surez was chased by two Army pickup trucks before he lost control of his own and crashed into parked vehicle. Disclosure: 13 US Cities That Are Crowded By Mexican Drug Cartels is originally published at Insider Monkey. "And that's extremely scary.". You have permission to edit this article. Rivera-Beltran then said that some of the money was his and told Beltran-Beltran to get a new phone number, the indictment says. Drug cartels are extremely well-organized, well-financed, efficient, and ruthless. FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2020 file photo, a policeman drives past town hall in Apaseo El Alto, Guanajuato state, Mexico. COVELO, Calif. Mexican drug cartels are muscling in on America's burgeoning multi-billion-dollar marijuana industry, illegally growing large crops in the hills and valleys of Northern California. The Sinaloa cartel is the oldest cartel currently operating in Mexico, and it controls significant chunks of that country, particularly on the Pacific coast. Morning Forecast Also in June, Tarango-Rodriguez continued to make calls on a third phone number that was being monitored by agents, and the indictment says he told a user he was going to sell 500,000 "small blue ones," which investigators believed to be 30-milligram fentanyl pills, in Kansas. A money transfer station at the grocery store was used to send some of the proceeds back to Mexico. The . Boogie! A report by the agency's National Drug Intelligence Center says the Juarez and Sinaloa. The eight companies sanctioned on Thursday all claim to either be financial services or real estate firms and are either based in Puerta Vallarta or Guadalajara, according to the Treasury. Trucks with mounted machine guns and henchman with body armour rolled into the town in one of the bloodiest recent episodes in the drug war blighting Mexico. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Can we get the government now to give the Pentagon another trillion trillion $$$$$$$$$$$$????? Comments are moderated, refer to policy for more information.Enva fotos, vdeos, notas, enlaces o informacin Todo 100% Annimo;borderlandbeat@gmail.com. The Sinaloa cartel was once led by the notorious drug boss known as Joaqun "El Chapo" Guzmn. Mexican army soldiers display $15 million U.S. on November 22, 2011, in Mexico City. Mexican drug cartels control vast swaths of the US drug market, but that influence remains heavily slanted in favor of the vaunted Sinaloa cartel. Mexican drug cartels are leading suppliers of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and other illicit narcotics to the United States. True, its a little weak but I'm grateful to the volunteers at BB.As far as the pentagon spending goes you're preaching to the choir. Escamilla gave a trooper permission to search the truck and said there was only money in there, the indictment says. Too funny for words! The next day, the indictment says, agents arranged surveillance on I-70 in Summit County of a car rented in Arizona by Diarte. Rivera-Beltran said he believed he was followed by law enforcement a few days earlier, according to the indictment. An intelligence report that was reviewed by TV Azteca claimed Mata had a criminal background record in San Antonio, Texas. A cellphone of Jose Aguilar-Martinez, who purported to own the unregistered wholesale distributor El Potosino Foods, had significant contact with suspected cocaine distributors in the city and in Pueblo and was linked to Guzmns and Zambadas trafficking, the complaint says. WE HAVE THE BEST OF THE BEST AND ITS SO AFFORDABLE NOW..25 FOR AN 1/8.COLORADO HAS THEIR SHIT TOGETHER AND HAS CHOSEN TO GO AFTER THE HARD DRUGS AND LET THE GOOD PEOPLE SMOKE THEIR WEED!!!! The latest breaking news, delivered straight to your email! Legal Statement. Todays action exposes this CJNG scheme and also serves as a warning to potential victims, many of whom are elderly, she added. But, according to the most recent report from the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the Sinaloa cartel and traffickers affiliated with it still control the lion's share of the US market for illegal narcotics. Based in the city of Guadalajara, CJNG is the fastest growing drug cartel and the second biggest player in the United States. Despite its name, the Mexican Mafia did not originate in Mexico, and is entirely a U.S. criminal prison organization.Law enforcement officials report that the Mexican Mafia is the deadliest and most powerful gang within the California prison . Sign up for notifications from Insider! The highly-trained and combat-experienced guards are heavily-armed with assault rifles and protective vests. Rivera-Beltran said he arrived in Phoenix that day around 5 a.m., which was confirmed by GPS, told him to hide the money well, and Escamilla to bring 55 stacks of $100 bills to reduce bulk, according to the indictment. In August, the indictment says, agents began wiretaps on the phone number that belonged to Rivera-Beltran. kaitlin.durbin@gazette.com, Colorado Springs restaurants appear to be implicated in alleged drug money laundering scheme, expected to be sent to Colorados maximum-security prison in Florence, 16-year-old Nathaniel Czajkowski was shot to death in Albertacos, Feds: El Chapo's sons indicted on drug conspiracy charges, Survey: Coloradans happy with State Patrol, but not traffic safety, Two teens accused of using cocaine at Colorado Springs high school, Alex Murdaugh trial: Autopsy photos shown, and witnesses paint graphic picture as trial continues, Stimulus update: Direct payment worth up to $400 to be available for Massachusetts residents in 12 days, New downtown Colorado Springs transit center plans updated, councilman calls it a 'boondoggle'. Gulf Cartel is the 5th most influential Mexican drug cartel in the U.S.. Gulf Cartel is also the only Mexican cartel that uses Houston as a major hub. In one conversation, the indictment says the two spoke about the price of ounces, pounds and "balls," which investigators identified as "eight balls" of meth. The ascendant Jalisco New Generation cartel, formed from an offshoot of the Sinaloa cartel around 2010, has also made inroads in the US. His Sinaloa Cartel is one of the worlds most prolific, violent and powerful drug cartels, moving billions upon billions of dollars in marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, the U.S. Justice Department reports. Albertacos did close briefly after funds were seized, but it has reopened. On July 8, after a phone call between Zytacua and a woman concerning a drug transaction, the indictment says, agents witnessed Zytacua conduct a hand-to-hand exchange with a woman at a nail salon in Aurora. I have a fleet of submarines, airplanes, trucks and boats.. The Zetas were crossing and kidnapping US citizens and in one occurrence, there were more than 150 US citizens rescued back then. Jalisco New Generation. She wants you to know he's more than a number. In 2017, 16-year-old Nathaniel Czajkowski was shot to death in Albertacos while eating with three friends, two of whom also were shot. Castillo said Surez lived with her and that he worked in the construction business with his stepfather. Investigators discovered through calls that Escamilla was picking up a truck from a rental car agency on Sep. 27 and set up surveillance at the location, according to the indictment. The WORST care homes in England: Interactive map reveals the lowest-rated 2,530 residences - so is An intelligence report obtained by TV Azteca indicated that Wilberto Mata, one of the five young men killed by soldier in the northern border city of Nuevo Laredo, was an alleged member of the Cartel del Noreste ( Northeast Cartel), Gustavo Surez, an American from San Antonio, Texas, was a purported member of the Northeast Cartel, according to a Mexican intelligence report. plus 'Those cities are Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, and Longmont. Joaquin Guzman-Loera (AKA's Chapo, Chapo Guzman, El Rapido) is a Mexican National. "Due to its territorial dominance over areas in northeastern Mexico, the Gulf cartel smuggles the majority of its drug shipments between the Rio Grande Valley and South Padre Island in south Texas," the DEA's report says. Drug seized by authorities in a years-long investigation.