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 News from Around the Americas | June 2007 
U.S. Announces 'Kingpin' Sanctions Against Mexican Cartel, Alleged Drug Lord
 Associated Press
The United States designated Mexico's Gulf cartel and alleged drug lord Victor Emilio Cazarez Salazar as "drug kingpins," a move that will deny them access to the U.S. financial system and any trade and transactions involving American companies.
Four other "kingpins," including a Guatemalan with reputed operations in Mexico, were also named Friday by the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, which targets both foreign individuals and groups.
"Two of the individuals and one organization named by President Bush are responsible for much of the drug-related violence and corruption currently plaguing Mexico," U.S. Ambassador in Mexico Tony Garza said in a statement.
According to a report by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Cazarez Salazar runs a cartel based in the northern city of Culiacan that exports "multi-ton quantities of cocaine, as well as large amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana, monthly to distribution cells throughout the United States."
The gang was the target of a raid in the United States in February that resulted in the arrest of more than 400 suspects. U.S. authorities have also seized about US$45.2 million (€33.6 million), 27,000 pounds (12,000 kilograms) of marijuana, 9,500 pounds (4,300 kilograms) of cocaine, 700 pounds (300 kilograms) of methamphetamine, and 100 weapons believed to belong to the cartel.
The Guatemalan named on the list, Jorge Mario Paredes Cordova, controls "a major cocaine-trafficking syndicate" operating in Guatemala and Mexico, according to the embassy statement, which noted the U.S. Department of State is offering a US$5 million (€3.7 million) reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
The list also included Haj Azizullah Alizai of Afghanistan, Shahbaz Khan of Pakistan and Frederik Heinz Barth of Germany. |
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