Mexican Drug Cartel Update
*Cartel activity has been so fast and furious lately, that I will be doing cartel updates in a weekly, or bi-monthly post. What do you think of that format? Take the poll below. Don’t forget, if you like an article you read here, hit that like button. Ask questions in the comments. I try to answer as quick as I can.
Cartel Del Noreste Kidnaps Man in Laredo, TX
A Texas man, Erik Tadeo Ramirez, bragged about stealing $50,000 from the Cartel del Noreste, a Mexican drug cartel, during a house party in Laredo on March 23. Less than two hours later, he was kidnapped by two or three armed, masked men who arrived in a blue Dodge pick-up truck and forced him into the vehicle. The truck crossed into Mexico about an hour later, with video footage showing a bloodied Ramirez trying to exit the passenger door while the car was still in motion, only to be pulled back inside.
Jonathan Cavriales, the registered owner of the truck, was arrested on a kidnapping charge. The truck was found parked outside Cavriales's grandmother's house in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, on the morning of March 24, and Cavriales is believed to have stayed there overnight. On March 27, US Customs and Border Protection officers detained Cavriales as he crossed into the US in the same Dodge pick-up truck.
In a post-arrest interview, Cavriales admitted to driving the vehicle into Mexico on March 24 with the kidnapped victim and three other people. He was aware that Ramirez had stolen approximately $50,000 from the Cartel Del Noreste. The Cartel Del Noreste is an offshoot of the Los Zetas cartel and is considered one of the most powerful criminal organizations in Mexico. The rest of the men involved in the kidnapping remain at large, and the FBI cannot comment on the case due to the ongoing nature of the investigation. (1)
Analysis
There is a lot of press about this case with many reporters “shocked” that there was cartel violence on this side of the border. Cartels have been committing violent acts, including kidnapping and murder, on this side of the border for some time. We should all be concerned that they feel brazen enough to commit such acts in the US. If we do not control this, it will only get worse.
High-Ranking Sinaloa Cartel Member Extradited to US
Jorge Ivan Gastelum Avila, a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel, appeared in a U.S. court to face drug trafficking and firearms charges. Gastelum Avila worked closely with El Chapo as a lead assassin and plaza boss for Guamúchil, Sinaloa. Arrested in 2016, he was indicted in 2018 and extradited to the US on April 1. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for the drug conspiracy charge and a mandatory consecutive sentence of 30 years for the firearms offense. (2)
Drug Lord Linked to Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartels Sentenced to Life in Prison
Jorge Sanchez Morales, known as "Capulina," was sentenced to life in prison for running a large-scale drug trafficking organization that sent drugs from Mexico to Atlanta. Working with the Sinaloa Cartel in the early 2000s, Sanchez later switched to liquid meth on behalf of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. An El Paso jury found him guilty of conspiracy to import and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine, and money laundering. He received a concurrent 20-year sentence for conspiring and laundering monetary instruments.
Drug Rivalries Linked to Killings in Cancun Resort Amid Easter Week Vacations
Authorities believe the recent killing of four men in Cancun, a popular Mexican resort, is connected to drug gang rivalries. The men were found dead in the city's hotel zone during the busy Easter Week vacation period. Officials have linked drug gang leader Hector Flores Aceves, known as "Pantera" (the Panther), to the killings and offered a $50,000 reward for his arrest. Flores Aceves and a rival were previously identified as members of the Sinaloa cartel, which has splintered in the region. These gangs engage in drug dealing, kidnapping, and extorting protection money from local businesses.(3)
Analysis
The federal government has been warning Americans to stay out of certain portions of Mexico. I have been warning students for years to not go to Mexico anymore, even for family. There are numerous incidents of cartel violence in the resorts. It may be a cheap and easy vacation, but the warning are serious and you should listen them.