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 News from Around the Americas | March 2007 
US Arrests 400 in Mexican Drug Ring
 Agence France Presse
| | Some of the 18 tons of illicit drugs seized by federal authorities is displayed in San Diego. |
US law enforcement officials arrested 400 people and seized 18 tons (tonnes) of marijuana, cocaine and other narcotics as it broke up a Mexican drug ring, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.
More than 66 people were arrested Wednesday in California, Arizon and Illinois, the department said, capping a 20-month investigation into the network run by Mexico-based Victor Emilio Cazares-Gastellum, also know as Victor Emilio Cazares-Salazar.
Justice authorities valued the drug haul at 45.2 million dollars, including more than 27,000 pounds of marijuana (12,250 kilograms), 9,500 pounds (4,300 kilograms) of cocaine, over 900 pounds (410 kilograms) of pure and impure methamphetamine, and 11 pounds (five kilograms) of heroin.
"The Cazares-Gastellum drug empire that rose to such heights of power in only two years, fell today at the hands of DEA and our partners," said Drug Enforcement Administration administrator Karen P. Tandy.
"Today we ripped out this empire's US infrastructure from its commanders and transportation coordinators to its local distribution cells across the country, stripped it of 45 million dollar in cash, and tossed it into the dustbin of history."
The Justice Department said the gang would smuggle drugs from Colombia and Venezuela through Mexico and then across the border into the United States for distribution around much of the country.
Feds Announce Drug-Cartel Bust, Seize 18 Tons of Drugs
Angelica Martinez - SanDiego Union-Tribune
San Diego Federal authorities Wednesday arrested dozens of individuals across the country suspected of bringing 18 tons of illegal drugs into the United States, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales said in an afternoon news conference here.
Members of the Victor Emilio Cazares-Gastellum drug trafficking ring were awakened in the early morning hours by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies who served simultaneous arrest warrants as part of a 20-month-long investigation into the ring's operations, Gonzales and other federal officials said.
Gonzales said the Mexico-based organization acquired drugs from Colombia and Venezuela to Central America, then smuggled them into the United States from Mexico. Once in the U.S., the drugs were broken down into smaller shipments in such cities as Los Angeles and San Diego and disseminated to distribution cells in various states.
The ring supplied cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana monthly to its distributors by air, land and sea. Officials said it also laundered millions of dollars profited from the drug trafficking.
The war on drugs is an ongoing challenge not just for the United States but for our neighbors and the rest of the hemisphere as well, Gonzales said. He added that the drug smugglers we are fighting have no respect for national borders.
The investigation resulted in the federal indictment of 19 individuals in federal court in San Diego. Those indicted include Mexican nationals and others with residences in Calexico and El Centro, officials said.
So far, nine of the 19 indicted defendants have been arrested. Gonzales said the head of the cartel was not among those arrested.
According to the indictments unsealed Wednesday, Cazares-Gastellum, who competed with the Arellano Felix cartel, was the head of the drug trafficking organization.
Defendants Jose Oscar Del Castillo-Gallardo, Carlos Cuevas Jr. and Sergio Kaiser-Chavez are accused of heading the transportation operations of cocaine between Mexico and the United States.
Other defendants are charged with conspiring to import and distribute the drugs.
Through the course of the investigation, officials made more than 400 arrests across the country including the 66 people arrested Wednesday morning in California, Arizona, New York and Illinois, Gonzales said.
Authorities said they also seized:
More than $45 million in U.S. currency;
9,400 pounds of cocaine;
8 pounds of heroin;
226 pounds of pure methamphetamine, also known as ice,;
27,218 pounds marijuana ;
465 marijuana plants;
$5.3 million in non-cash assets, primarily real property;
61 vehicles;
83 firearms.
More than 100 agencies and foreign law enforcement officials participated in the investigation, called Operation Imperial Emperor.
Angelica Martinez: (619) 293-1317; angelica.martinez@uniontrib.com |
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