or redistributed. "There has also been evidence of the utilization of cryptocurrencies by Mexican TCOs as a means by which to transfer their wealth internationally" said the DEA. The Treasury sanctioned eight Mexican companies accused of being involved in a timeshare fraud scheme controlled by one of Mexico's most infamous drug cartels. The state of Colorado was the first to officially legalize marijuana and to offer recreational marijuana in 2014. . 'Add Pueblo Colorado to the list. Crime scene photo at Taco Star. EVERYONE ELSE SHOULD FOLLOW OUR LEAD! 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. "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. 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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. 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. . 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. The Zetas were crossing and kidnapping US citizens and in one occurrence, there were more than 150 US citizens rescued back then. Chinese nationals aren't allowed to transfer their wealth outside of China, so they are willing to pay Mexican drug cartels a premium for the cartels' US dollar cash holdings in exchange for RMB payments in China. NOBODY IN THE SURROUNDING DENVER AREA WANTS THAT SHIT NEITHER!!! Escamilla then had a conversation with Nancy Vargas, and told her he had a suitcase/bag in his house that she needed to remove, as well as guns and money, according to the indictment. RELATED:. The rest of the funds were smuggled back in secret vehicle compartments. "We still don't know what the fall out will be but when there is this much money involved the potential is great for groups to want capitalize.". On Aug 19., the indictment says, state troopers stopped Anali Saavedra Flores on I-25. Mexican drug cartels control vast swaths of the US drug market, but that influence remains heavily slanted in favor of the vaunted Sinaloa cartel. There are sooo many opiate addicts in colorado from high school to your grandma its crazy. Prez's brother, Alejandro Prez, was unharmed and told Univision that he saw the moment his sibling was shot at point-blank range. 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. And in 2015, he crawled through an opening in a shower area that led to a mile-long tunnel, escaping the maximum-security Altiplano Federal Prison near Toluca, Mexico. As CJNG [Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion] has consolidated territory over the past decade, it has added other crimes to its core activity of drug trafficking, OFAC director Andrea Gacki said in a statement. ", Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Sure you did. "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.". Were concerned with the public consumption right now, Jackson said. The team collected roughly 800 pounds. Synthetic drugs such as meth and fentanyl have fundamentally changed the illicit drug market. It's important to note that the Sinaloa cartel doesn't function quite like a traditional, hierarchical cartel. ; and the Albertacos at 4494 Austin Bluffs Parkway. Twenty dead, including four cops, as Mexican cartel riding in skull-decorated trucks attacks town ; Mexico cartel kills 19, hangs some from bridge, leaves others chopped up on the road below ; "Legal businesses will likely see a rise in extortion attempts while law enforcement will see a lot of backdoor deals being made.". Can we get the government now to give the Pentagon another trillion trillion $$$$$$$$$$$$????? Maybe he was hoping the Zetas would kidnapped that girl because she was stupid enough to follow him there. Juarez Cartel is the only Mexican cartel that uses Oklahoma City as a major hub. 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. Mothers, grab your sons and hold them tightly. I want to congratulate the outstanding federal, state, and local law enforcement cooperation that resulted in this highly successful operation. The 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office said the following defendants will be prosecuted in Douglas County: RELATED: 2 Colorado nurses illegally took controlled substances at work, U.S. Attorney's Office says. According to the DEA, Mexican drug cartels continue to expand their presence and forge partnerships with other transnational gangs, U.S. street gangs, prison gangs, and Chinese money laundering organizations. 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. Jonathan Aguilar did not survive after he was struck in the temple. A short time later, the indictment says Austin Peterson and Anita Bateman arrived in a vehicle used to transport cocaine to Denver. Four soldiers were placed under arrest Thursday for the murder of the five men. Los Zetas Cartel is also the only Mexican cartel that uses Laredo as a major hub. 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. It is understood that the mutilated corpse in the video belongs to a gunman working for the Sinaloa Cartel, whose former leader, Joaqun Archivaldo Guzmn Loera, otherwise known . The covert operation saw police drop the fake shipment about 40 nautical miles west of Perth, where a shore party allegedly made multiple efforts to locate and retrieve it. FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2020 file photo, a policeman drives past town hall in Apaseo El Alto, Guanajuato state, Mexico. (Luis Velarde and Sarah Hashemi/The Washington Post) Surez was chased by two Army pickup trucks before he lost control of his own and crashed into parked vehicle. In 2017, 16-year-old Nathaniel Czajkowski was shot to death in Albertacos while eating with three friends, two of whom also were shot. Skier Shiffrin's quest for 86th win extended after downhill, Colorado mountain communities consider legal action against USPS, 77 inches of snow fall at Colorado ski area in 9 days, DEA seizes more than 110,000 fentanyl-laced pills, issues 19 indictments, All-time high overdose deaths in country Colorado deaths up 34%, DEA warns of increase in fake prescription pills containing fentanyl, meth, A mom lost her son to an overdose. Antonio Ortiz asked Rivera-Beltran over a call if he had received the "chocolates," believed to be heroin, and asked for "two," believed to be two kilos, according to the indictment. Is comparing Colorado Springs' and Denver's homeless populations fair or unfair? Cartels, especially the Juarez and Sinaloa, who have a strong presence in Colorado, could not have been happy with the estimated $1 million in sales Jan. 1, the first day of legalized retail sales. Rivera-Beltran said he had guns and "almonds," believed to be fentanyl pills, at the house. Mexican cartels aren't prevalent in New York City probably because smaller Colombian drug operations still supply large quantities of cocaine and heroin into New York City. (AP). She joined the Gazette in 2016. In case of a tie, we rank the city with more powerful cartels higher. He reportedly operated under the aliases of 'El Gus' and 'El Baby Syko.'. The cartels and the drug trade fuel rampant corruption and. 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. "The Sinaloa Cartel exports and distributes wholesale amounts of methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine, and heroin in the United States by maintaining key distribution hubs in Phoenix, Los Angeles, Denver, and Chicago, among other cities," the DEA reports. 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. The car was eventually picked up by Rivera-Beltran after an unsuccessful attempt by Guadalupe Ortiz, and they both drove to Dallas, Texas, arriving on Sept. 18, the indictment says. We have no idea what the Mexican drug cartels do with all that RMB and how they smuggle all that cash out of China. A sixth. The violent and powerful Sinaloa cartel forced the Mexican authorities to surrender and hand over El Chapo's son Ovidio Guzman. In addition to the 6.57 kilograms of cocaine packed for distribution, the indictment says officers also found $7,117 in the glovebox. Around 6:36 p.m. that evening, Tarango-Rodriguez called Rivera-Beltran and asked if he could use a truck inside Rivera-Beltran's carport for five minutes, according to the indictment. Rivera-Beltran then said that some of the money was his and told Beltran-Beltran to get a new phone number, the indictment says. Severe Weather After a K9 alerted the presence of narcotics in the trunk, the indictment says, authorities discovered a $5,000 stack from her purse, and she gave them Ortiz's phone number, which stopped working shortly after. The-CNN-Wire & 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Also on Sept. 18, the indictment says, Beltran-Beltran called Rivera-Beltran about Escamilla bringing $100,000 or $105,000 to Phoenix, which was later seized by authorities. Jalisco New Generation. You have permission to edit this article. Faced with such losses, the violent cartels could force their way in as black market wholesalers or simply rob pot dispensaries, which take only cash and have not been able to establish accounts with banks because of lenders' fears of violating federal laws. Around 6:43 p.m., agents watching the carport saw Tarango-Rodriguez arrive, and Trevizo got on the phone, according to the indictment. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Since the 1980s, they have dominated the international narcotics trade. A similar incident occurred on 5 November when a group of cartel gunmen executed a pair of drug dealers from a rival gang on a beach at Puerto Morelos, another popular beach area south of Cancun. They spoke about introducing Escamilla to another undercover agent as well as purchasing some "blues," which investigators knew to be fentanyl pills, the indictment says. 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. 9Wants to Know examined a situation report from the US Department of Justice National Drug Intelligence Center, which says the Juarez and Sinaloa cartels are active in five Colorado cities. Rafael Caro Quintero, a drug lord known as "the narco of narcos" who was behind the killing of a US drug enforcement agent in 1985, has been captured by Mexican forces nearly a decade after. A seventh restaurant with ties to Colorado Springs also was named in the complaint. The undercover officer who first made contact with Rivera-Beltran arranged another drug purchase, and the indictment says $2,200 was exchanged for a pound of meth in the same Target parking lot on June 17. While the wiretap investigation was beginning, the indictment says an undercover officer was introduced to Saul Ramon Rivera-Beltran. Its only been a week, so we still have to sit back and see how this will play out, Denver Police spokesman Sonny Jackson told FoxNews.com. In late June, the indictment says Zytacua continued speaking to multiple customers about selling cocaine, meth and heroin. San Diego's largest cash seizure ever may shed light on an overlooked aspect of the drug trade >>, In many instances, the Sinaloa cartel and other Mexican cartels partner with street gangs in the US particularly the MS-13 to sell the drugs to consumers. 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. KRDO NewsChannel 13 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation. You might want to lay off the coffee and keep an eye on the soapbox because you are tripping over it. [The sniper rifles flowing to Mexican. Best Mexican Restaurants in Colorado Springs, El Paso County: Find Tripadvisor traveler reviews of Colorado Springs Mexican restaurants and search by price, location, and more. 'The Sinaloa and Juarez cartels are active from the Starbucks locales there in Boulder!' Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Richard Nixon. You can get killed for just walking around the east side.' It is believed to have a more horizontal structure, as an organization of allied factions, frequently working together but often in control of different aspects of the drug production, trafficking, and distribution processes. 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. Well cartels and Mexican maryjuana did take a hit in Colorado. Agents followed the truck onto I-70 and stopped it outside of Glenwood Springs, according to the indictment. I am a regular poster to bb and I live in Boulder, We have 50,000 college students and more hippies then woodstock, We have more medical marijuana dispensaries than starbucks and ALOT of people smoke weed in this city, If the cartels are here they stay hid really well, The police are so lax on tokers here you could blow smoke in their face and they would smile, From a business perspective I'm sure Boulder is a giant cash cow for them. Drug cartel gunmen invaded Culiacan International Airport in the western Mexican province of Sinaloa and opened fire . This is probably not the last time you hear about CJNG as it is more willing to engage in violent confrontations with rival cartels and security forces. it goes to MN,IA,MI,WI states like that. She wants you to know he's more than a number. On. Trevizo and Tarango-Rodriguez then drove separately to a residence at 6841 Locust St. (File, courtesy of KKTV). Most were never released. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! But the general consensus is that the Mexican cartels will not quietly relinquish the Denver market. The Defendants from El Salvador are Lara Zamora-Cruz, age unknown; Claudia Lisseth-Lara, 41, (naturalized); Vilma L. Zamora, 67; and Jose Chica-Orellana, age unknown. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Sinaloa Mexican Drug Cartel is known to be the dominant drug cartel in both California and Colorado. We are pleased to provide the experience and expertise of Victor Manual Galarza Abizaid, considered a subject matter expert by the 22nd and 13th Judicial Districts in the State of Colorado in criminal interdiction, narcotics, narcotics investigations and the Mexican Cartels.Victor has been in active service as a Law Enforcement officer since 2011. During a two-year investigation spanning several states, federal agents and the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Joint Task Force recovered more than 123 pounds of methamphetamine, 500 oxycodone. Authorities believe a woman accessing the safe-deposit boxes faked pregnancies to make deposits, carrying the cash inside of a false belly.. Guzman-Loera is the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, becoming involved in drug trafficking in the late 1980s. At least one of the five young men killed by the Mexican military had alleged links to Cartel del Noreste, which operates in the northern border city of Nuevo Laredo across from Texas. Federal agents seized a slew of drugs in the case, including about 400 pounds of methamphetamine and 15,000 fentanyl pills a powerful synthetic opioid that were disguised as prescription oxycodone, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Denver. One group who hopes to mitigate any risks is the Blue Line Protection Group, which specializes only in security for the marijuana stores. Drug cartels are extremely well-organized, well-financed, efficient, and ruthless. Escamilla gave a trooper permission to search the truck and said there was only money in there, the indictment says. 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. The Sinaloa Cartel's criminal activity in the Ciudad Juarez and El Paso area included the violence that occurred during the war between the Juarez Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel, which led to the death of thousands of people in Ciudad Juarez and throughout the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Durango. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 17 defendants for drug trafficking in direct connection with a Mexican drug cartel. The Defense Department said the soldiers acted on their own and shot at the vehicle after they heard a loud noise following the crash. Add Pueblo Colorado to the list. She is a proud Ohioan, champion for local libraries, volunteer reading tutor and an expert ice cream connoisseur (mint chocolate chip!). Authorities claimed that Surez was operating a Chevrolet Silverado that had been reported stolen. Guzman was tried in New York and found guilty on drug smuggling charges. "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 . Sinaloa cartel, international crime organization that is among the most-powerful drug-trafficking syndicates in the world. Stay up to date with what you want to know. He also made calls to customers and suppliers throughout the month, the indictment says. 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. Of the 17 defendants, 11 are from Mexico, four from El Salvador, and two are from California. Behind the nicknames of notorious Mexican drug cartel figures In Texas, the many offices appear to have their time spent dealing with cases involving the Sinaloa, Gulf, Juarez, the Knights Templar . COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - A Sierra High School student was shot off-campus on Tuesday. @ 4:00 PMThe article is about cartel presence in Colorado among other things. 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. Four members of the army were placed under arrest Thursday and each face homicide, bodily injury and disobedience charges, Jonathan Aguilar did not survive after he was shot in the temple by a Mexican soldier after the vehicle he was riding in crashed into a parked vehicle in the border city of Nuevo Laredo, Jennifer Castillo (right) found out Sunday morning after her son Gustavo Surez (left) has been killed by the Mexican military that his girlfriend was expecting the couple's first child, Jennifer Castillo said that her son Gustavo Castillo had purchased his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck in February and that the vehicle's temporary license plate had been removed by the soldiers who were involved in the deadly shooting, Wilberto Mata is said to have links to the Northeast Cartel, a criminal organization that operates in Nuevo Laredo, a northern Mexico border city across from Texas, Wilberto Mata, an alleged Northeast Cartel member, reportedly had a criminal background record in San Antonio, Texas, 22:55 03 Mar 2023, updated 23:04 03 Mar 2023, Luis Martnez, who survived after he was shot twice and is in an induced coma, was part of the cartel's special force 35th battalion. Their second choice for leadership positions are U.S. citizens of Mexican origin. They Bombs Away, Mexico, Yemen, and Somalia! In a conversation with Beltran-Beltran later that day, Rivera-Beltran said that things were bad and the police had gotten Jorge Escamilla and his brother Antonio Lorenzo Escamilla on their way to Arizona, according to the indictment. The accused leader of the group, Candelaria Vallejo-Gallo, was indicted under a charge of Continuing Criminal Enterprise, also known as the federal "drug kingpin" statute, authorities said. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. We are stronger than this crap. The DEA "assesses that the following six Mexican TCOs as having the greatest drug trafficking impact on the United States: Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG, BeltranLeyva Organization, Juarez Cartel, Gulf Cartel, and Los Zetas Cartel". Villasuso also said that even if legal stores do face extortion efforts by cartel groups it is unlikely law enforcement will even be made aware of it if merchants are too frightened to come to police. According to the indictment, the investigation began in April, when DEA agents learned that Samuel Padilla-Romo was selling methamphetamine in the 18th Judicial District and Denver metro area. The indictment says Tarango-Rodriguez also told Rivera-Beltran that it would be done very quickly, which agents believed to be in reference to the drug deal. Seven of the defendants are considered fugitives. Denver police are taking a wait-and-see posture as to what may emerge. On Sept. 24, Rivera-Beltran picked up Guadalupe Ortiz at the Phoenix airport after he missed a previous flight according to texts and GPS pings, the indictment says. Tarango-Rodriguez went into the address and returned with two trash bags, which the indictment said were given to occupants of Trevizo's vehicle. The U.S. has suspended imports of Mexican avocadosas the lucrative fruit continues to play a key role in the turf wars between drug cartels. 'Yes, the Boulder area could be a giant cash cow for the Department of Homeland Security Cartel! A 50-page version sanitized of confidential information was filed publicly Feb. 22. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Heres how to unlock the dirt, Year-round gardening: Plant this, not that native edition, Tom Sizemore, 'Saving Private Ryan' actor, dies at 61, Attendance data dive: Local performing arts groups may never fully recover, PHOTOS: The Classical Academy falls to Resurrection Christian in state quarterfinals, PHOTOS: Cheyenne Mountain hockey beats Durango 5-0 in semifinals, Brewers' Bracket: Vote for your favorite Colorado Springs breweries, Colorado Springs Mayoral Race | 2023 candidates and issues, GAZETTE PODCASTS | News, Sports, Cold Cases and Lifestyle, Sign up for our newsletters and get news that matters sent to your inbox, By KAITLIN DURBIN El Potosino is not a registered business, its website is inactive and no other wholesale food distributors in Colorado Springs were even aware of El Potosinos existence or that it purported to compete with them, the complaint and other records said. These cartels primarily employ Mexican nationals to oversee their distribution operations in the United States. 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. The five men were shot and killed when Surez, a resident from San Antonio, Texas, refused orders to pull over. He faces a mandatory life sentence with no possibility of parole. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. It is also the most significant drug trafficking organization in the United States. On Wednesday, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced a 19-count indictment filed in Douglas County against 19 suspects. Sinaloa Cartel is one of the oldest and most successful drug cartels in Mexico. WASHINGTON Two sons of notorious drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman have been indicted on drug conspiracy charges, the Justice Department s. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Texas' most dangerous gangs are Tango Blast and associated Tango cliques, with an estimated 19,000 members, Texas Mexican Mafia, with about 4,100 members, Latin Kings, with 1,300 members, and Mara . > Top stories from 9NEWS curated daily just for you! Wow, cross and walk down the streets of Nuevo Laredo as everyone there stairs at you. The identity of that cartel is not being released as it remains the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation.. 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. Even back before the break of the war, US gov was warning against going there. In the US, the Sinaloa cartel is one of six Mexican transnational criminal organizations in operation, joining the Jalisco New Generation cartel, the Juarez cartel, the Gulf cartel, Los Zetas cartel, and the Beltran Leyva Organization. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. The Mexican Mafia (Spanish: Mafia Mexicana), also known as La eMe (Spanish for "the M"), is a Mexican American criminal organization in the United States. 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. We try to spoil when we should understand we haven't spoiled so much, because they know we are working hard for them. Defendants have denied involvement in the scheme. Our children stronger than we give them credit. Guzmn, widely known as El Chapo, was considered the worlds most powerful drug lord until his federal conviction this month on 10 counts of drug trafficking, money laundering and use of a firearm in decades of grisly killings to further his drug enterprise. On Aug. 29, a confidential informant received a call from Rivera-Beltran, and, the indictment says, they discussed meth. February 15, 2023 04:32 PM AUSTIN, Texas A county sheriff plans to sound the alarm before Congress about mass incursions of unidentified flying objects illegally entering U.S. airspace from. "Though not as expansive as its rival," the Sinaloa cartel, with which it fought a multiyear war for control of Ciudad Juarez, "the Juarez Cartel continues to impact United States drug consumer markets primarily in Denver, Chicago, Oklahoma, and Kansas City," the DEA reports.