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Thursday, March 31, 2011

3 Sinaloa cartel members face death penalty in Malaysia


Three brothers, Jose Regino, Luis and Simon Gonzalez Villarreal, natives of Culiacan, Sinaloa, may soon become the next foreigners to be executed by hanging in the Southeast Asian country of Malaysia.

Malaysia’s drug laws are severe and a mandatory death sentence is the punishment if convicted of violating its strict laws against drug trafficking. Under Malaysia anti-drug laws any person found in possession of at least 15 grams (1/2 ounce) of heroin, 200 grams (7 ounces) of marijuana, 40 grams (1.4 ounces) of cocaine and 50 grams (1.76 ounces) of methamphetamine is presumed by law to be a drug trafficker.

The three men are accused of being part of the Sinaloa cartel and members of an international network for the production and distribution of methamphetamine in Southeast Asia.

The three were arrested together with a Malaysian and a Singaporean in March 4, 2008 at a secluded factory in the city of Johor Bahru in Malaysia's southern Johor state where police found a drug laboratory and approximately 240 kilograms of methamphetamine. The lab was believed to have been operating for about six months before the raid.

(The amount of methamphetamine seized varies widely. El Noroeste, a newspaper in Sinaloa, Mexico reports the men were found in possession of 240 kilograms while the Houston Chronicle says the amount was 29 kilograms worth $15 million)

The other two accused are Lim Hung Wang, a Singaporean, and Lee Boon Siah, a Malaysian.

All five were charged with drug trafficking and face the mandatory penalty of death by hanging if convicted. The Gonzalez brothers have been held in a maximun security prison near the border with Singapore since their arrest in 2008.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court is scheduled to hear defense lawyers present their case April 27, said prosecutor Umar Saifuddin Jaafar. The judge hearing the case, Judge Mohd Zawawi, is known for his strict adherence to the law and in recent years has condemned more than 30 people to the gallows.

The High Court ruled last month it was unreasonable to conclude that it was a mere coincidence that the Mexican brothers were at the factory during the raid, according to Umar Saifuddin. At the time the brothers were in Malaysia on tourist visas.

If the defense attorneys are unable to convince the judge of the brothers innocence in April, they will be convicted and sentenced to death.

Kitson Foong, a lawyer for the three brothers, who has been on the case since January, sent a plea to the Mexican media for help after his attempts to request assistance from the Mexican Embassy were unsuccessful.

Noting that his clients are in real danger of dying, the lawyer has urged that a translator be sent help prepare the defense. "Until now the embassy has not contacted them or me," he said.

If the defense attorneys are unable to convince the judge of the brothers innocence in April, they will be convicted and sentenced to death.

The Mexicans' other brother, Jose Gonzalez Villarreal, has urged their country's government to help them, saying the family has only spoken to the three suspects twice since their arrest and have little knowledge of developments in the case.

"My parents are in despair over the situation," he said in a telephone interview from the western city of Culiacan. "We really haven't been able to do anything because of our lack of resources. We are poor people."

The three brothers have no criminal record in Mexico, according to Martin Gatelum, a spokesman for the attorney general's office of the western state of Sinaloa, a major drug trafficking hub and the cradle of a powerful Mexican cartel of the same name.

Sources:
A un paso de horca 3 culichis en Malasia
http://www.noroeste.com.mx/publicaciones.php?id=674539

3 Mexicans face hanging in drug trial
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/7497092.html

46 comments:

  1. Malaysia,now they have REAL law and justice.Mexico should send them all the narco prisoners from Puente Grande and the federal penitentiary in Mexico City(SIEDO).Mexico should learn from this,a GREAT example.

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  2. Malaysia is doing the Mexican government a favor. Let them rot in hell.

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  3. I would be surprised if the Mexican goverment did anything but put out a warning to others who might also traffic drugs in Asia , I belive it's the same fate in the middle east, it really should be the same across the board as to deture others, good luck to the brothers it's sad nonetheless.

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  4. A carbon! Estes paisitas de done sacaron feria para los boletas y que o quien andavan visitando aya?

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  5. give 'em hell malaysia fuck their "human rights"

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  6. I feel absolutely no sympathy for these "poor" men who could afford visas to travel to Malaysia or their families. Whatever. Oh, and of course most drug dealers don't have criminal records because they ARE the law. I think Malaysia would be doing the world a favor by getting rid of those thugs. I have sympathy for the grieving mothers & fathers of innocent bystanders that have been killed in the cross fire of this drug war. And if anybody is wondering... I myself am Mexican American and NOT a racist. And while some argue that NObody has the right to take away a person's life... tell that to the parents of murdered innocent civilians.

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  7. Finally some good news! I wish Mexico and the United States of America had the same law.

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  8. Buela says there is more to the story!March 31, 2011 at 7:32 AM

    Malay media has the amt at 29460.gm or 29kg.
    However when the arrest went down the amt was reported at 215 KG..

    Here is the interesting thing I found. I am posting two links from KL (kuala lumpur) Malaysia.

    one is at the time of the bust. what is intesting there were 10 arrested INCLUDING FIVE MEXICANS. They state their names. The case had bust at two locations, one at the factory and one at a home where 2 of the mexicans were and 40.8 of Ketamin (vet drug). But the is no mention what happen to those people. They possibly are dead. The brothers say they have been tortured, and it is not uncommon to die in prison. AND in the same article you see another case referred to with another Mexican.

    so it appears SInaloa has been in Malay for at least 4 years.

    I lived in Malaysia for 7 years and we had offices there ( in KL) until 9-11 then it became to scary for americans and the people really have great distain for americans. It is a gorgeous country, incredible.. anyway cowboy hats are rarely warn by Malay. So when I saw the pic on this post I thought dang that is strange that a couple of the Malay are wearing hats. HOWEVER I think those are the other two Mexicans that were busted at the home. Playing detective here. But I am sure I am correct.

    Also a little correction, there is no land border with Singapore. It is apx 26 Mi maritme border. singapore and Malaysia have fought over this for years, Malay keeps claiming more and more of the water border. they are in favor of destroying the causeway. Malaysia is a Muslim country. There are extensive warnings about drug before one even lands in Malay or Singapore. And death sentences apply to MJ as well which sucks. if you have under the limits of "traffiking" then long prison sentence are given.

    Original article from date of arrest in 2008:
    http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/3/15/courts/20653199&sec=courts

    Recent link malay paper:
    http://www.malaysiandigest.com/news/17713-three-mexican-brothers-among-five-ordered-to-enter-defence-for-drug-trafficking.html

    and this of a woman and her husband and friend busted for selling Ganja at a McDs...they will hang.
    http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/trio-to-hang-for-trafficking-ganja-at-a-mcdonalds/

    I will tell you Malay is a lot like China with respect to corruption, prosecution of innocents, fabrication of evidence. But I am hard pressed to think of how 3-5 mexican brick layers from Sinaloa found themselves in Johor on a visitors visa.
    Check out on the link for Ganja the comments...sound familar? JAJA

    Kudos to Sr. Chivo for postng this a couple of times on forum and thanks to Gerardo for posting the complete story.. It is important not only for the death penalty angle but also it depicts how far and wide MDC are doing their thing.

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  9. Wow thanks for the details Buela, the heavy to bust and hang should be but out on every front page around the world, now here's a lesson we all can learn.

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  10. i went to the first link that you posted Buela of the first arrest. did you notice the "poor" guys clothing. Polo(looks like the same ones La Barbie and El Grande had on) and the Calvin Klein shirt. Nice shoes too. I really feel sorry for them, so sorry that I wish I could be there to watch them hang! just like the old days where they would display the hangings for the public to see. I wonder what goes thru a persons mind when you have almost 3 years to think about your day of death. DO you think they might ask themselves what the innocent victims went through? Naa, prob. not.

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  11. The USA should wake up and start taking crime seriously before it spirals out of control by infiltrating our justice system. I feel no sympathy for these clowns.

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  12. comian pura sopa MARUCHAN fresca de la fabrica que barbaros.

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  13. Oh no, those poor guys :/ They were there under the command of Chapo.. Alot of the precursors for Crystal Meth are brought in from Asia.. I am sure they didnt get a fair trial, or had a chance to fight the charges, but as someone who has traveled abroad, Muslim countries too, one has to be really careful. This reminds me of Midnight Express, but unlike the movie, these guys will get the noose. Do I feel bad? Probably not, thousands of innocents have died in Mexico, why should I care what happens to some mid-level drug dealer in Asia? Just like sicarios in Mexico, they knew their fate when they decided to join the business.

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  14. This may be a silly question, but WTF are Mexicans doing all the way over in Malaysia/Singapore? This is an unusual destination.

    That's probably the last place on the planet any reasonable Mexican would decide to go on a tourist visa. What's wrong with New York City, Spain or even China? No, these guys were definitely on a special "business trip".
    We're talking 30+ hrs flight from Mexico City to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore at easily $1500/seat economy class. Not cheap. I bet they flew business class at $7000 per seat. That's not poor.

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  15. "200 grams (30 ounces)" Incorrect. 200 grams is about 7 ounces.

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  16. Toto...I have a feeling we are not in Mexico any more...

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  17. Mexico needs to stop being soft on the cartels and the deasth penalty by hanging needs to be enacted for certain crimes! Mexico is way to soft on criminals and the top cartel bosses are treated like rock stars when they are captured! La barbie has a 27' LCD TV and designer clothes and soaps and shampoo and his food is brought in to him... That is bullshit... Where is the punishment in that? he is a homosexual so he doesnt need women so he is living just fine... La Barbie was the boss of the group of sicarios that has "El Ponchise" and "The Black" they were homosexuals also and when it was discovered by other sicarios "El Ponchise" grabbed a few clothes and ran for the border to get away because the rumor was spreading about being homosexual with "La Barbie" thats when they arrested "El Ponchise the Kid Sicarios" Rumor is one of "La Barbies" family members collected the $5 million dollars for giving up the location of Arturo Beltrán Leyva that lead to his death... "La Barbie" had been working with the DEA for years!

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  18. so im guessing they're sending in the Sinaloa cartel lawyer to defend them?
    -v

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  19. They should've done some research before going to Malaysia to deal meth.

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  20. No, that's not a silly question at all.

    'Anonymous said...
    This may be a silly question, but WTF are Mexicans doing all the way over in Malaysia/Singapore? This is an unusual destination.'

    It's hard to imagine that a group of Mexicans whose family says that are 'poor' chose a vacation in Malaysia instead of perhaps staying home and eating what they could, since they are supposedly poor Mexicans?

    'If the defense attorneys are unable to convince the judge of the brothers innocence in April, they will be convicted and sentenced to death.'

    The death penalty still is the tool of reactionary societies' ruling regimes and is something that civilized people are all opposed to. What's wrong with life imprisonment in this case if they are found guilty of being Mexicans questionably abroad? PLUS, if the governments didn't make all drug use illegal to begin with, the governments could watch the production and distribution of these drugs, and then go after those who buy them and over treatment for the users addictions, rather than having to murder people for it.

    That would be a lot cheaper, too, besides being a lot more effective in stopping drug use proliferation. There are alternatives to the murder them down mindset currently in our mass mode thinking but God Forbid that they ever be acknowledged by anyone! It would force us all to use our brains instead of our emotional desire for other folks' blood to be spilled.

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  21. Some good news ixp

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  22. Maybe Jesse Jackson will be sent to negotiate their release :-)

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  23. QUE MATEN A LOS CULEROS

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  24. what stupid dumb asses. They went to a zero tolerance counrty that has a mandatory death sentence by hanging for drug dfealers and did thier business. Wow they should be hung from telephone poles for all to see for thier stupidity!!!LOLOLOLOL!!!!!

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  25. There needs to be correction in the article. It says 200 grams (30 ounces) of marijuana. 200g is not 30 ounces of marijuana. It is a little over 7 ounces of marijuana.

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  26. I'm not so sure executing them is such a good idea I mean if they do that then they will piss off the Sinaloa cartel which could make more of an effort to gain control of things in Malaysia.

    I guess it depends how important those guys were and seems like they were not big names.

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  27. Mexicans got out Mexicaned. Note Try dealing drugs in China,Hong Kong, places that DO have law and order. Liberals can piss and moan all day that a summary death penalty is inoffective,BULL SHIT. Now Mexico has almost no Real Deterrant to Damn near any crime ,They are out of control because of it. Its funny that these guys went from Mexico to a place that is Serious.

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  28. @ 7:25 china, hong kong, malaysia, iran some of the toughest drug laws in the world and yet, you can find any drug you want in these countries, iran executes drug dealers in droves and they have a huge heroin problem. what probably happened here in this case is the arrangements they made with government/law enforcement fell through, and they got busted. asian countries are just as corrupt as any other.

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  29. HELL YEAH! I'm against Malaysia's harsh judicial system but this is a good lesson to be learned. Don't come into our country and contaminate it with your dirty tactics and morals. If you get caught, you will be terminated! Malaysia does'nt mess around! MEXICO LEARN FROM MALAYSIA!

    Great article Gerardo.

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  30. After having lived in Asia and doing business there for 3 decades I will say Malay-Singapore-China I would never deal drugs in, if I was inclined to traffick drugs. My first trip to those countries a printed warning was handed to each passenger about drug penalties. I mean to hang for selling MJ..jeeze.

    I believe the Mexicans are guilty and no Chapo won't be sending an atty because these bricklayers are attrition. No one cares but their families.

    I did notice the POLO clothing! but polo in Malay and singapore for a knockoff shirt is about 5-8 USD. the knockoffs are so good they are graded 1-2-3 etc. of everything. all you do is ask a cabbie to take you to the best.
    to clarify...even though I said often innocents are executed I still think in these cases that are so obvious it is the best message to put out there.

    It is inconceivable to me that MDC would go to Malay or any other Muslim country or hard-assed country. I am amazed because I had no clue. There are drug traffickers in China etc but those are controlled by brutal asian OC org the Triads. Under the triads most other orgs lie. they are in every asian country so I am surprised sinaloa would go there.

    here is a recent execution of 3 foreigners in china..2 women and a man
    http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/03/30/11/3-filipino-drug-couriers-executed-china

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  31. @ Buela

    Im guessing you didn't have the surgery? If you did, im hoping everything turned out good. I pray to GOD that you are good. By the way, the pic of the cute ol' lady blowing the 100 yrs. old candles is hilarious!

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  32. Ma;aysia is doing the right thing. They should that law all aroung the world. Ill save the government lots of money in the process also.

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  33. thast not smart stupid mexicans can you f see how bad its now

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  34. I work with a attorney in the united states and I truly feel thats it's not right so then to kill in this county is much fair no give them prison time does any one know this county thank you this people are poor they have a family like we do you dont wish anybody the death senteced what law do they run here yes prison would be the right thing I dont understand mx is against the death penalty we they send somebody to USA thats the first treating and they are'nt going to do anything o no that's not right I know the family of these brothers and honestly prison would be the best thing and thay are not from a cartel not everybody are from cartel's let's see what happens !!!!!!!!!

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  35. They don't screw around in Malaysia! If your caught dealing drugs there your lower than a dog and deserving of death! Unless something drastically changes for those guys, they will be getting their necks stretched without delay down there? If they did that here, they would need to build a lot more hanging platforms cause they would be running day and night here in the US or in Mexico?

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  36. Tan pobres que podian viajar a Malasia? Si como no... Los pobres Mexicanos que son realmente inosentes no pueden ni siquiera comprar un sanguich en la tienda de la esquina, y estos tres tenien para viajar a Malasia? Y para acabar de regarla los encontraron adentro de una fabrica produciendo drogas... No manchen, estos chavos ni un milagro tienen para salvarles el cuello!..

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  37. lo que dijera esk estos compas pueden morir por ese perro del juez de malazia no entiende el espanol lo siento pero k hasian en malacia si aqui en sinaloa ay mucha cocaina asta pa fiar o se pueden salvar si el jues se muere de la diabetes es dificil PURO SINALOA cuanto cuesta el boleto a malasia sepa la ZUMO pero ellos aya estan MOCORITO

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  38. We dont care if they have death sentence for trafficking. We are still going to do it!! VIVA MEXICO CABRONES!!! We MEXICANS are going to export drugs all over modafuckas!!! Hahaha. Here in mexico is the same thing we playing we death everyday!!

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  39. I m a Malaysian and a prosecutors for the drug offenses in Malaysia, so far Malaysian does not tolerate the act of drug trafficking, as far a s i concern i have been prosecuting for two years and managed to get conviction hang to death at the neck and mostly are foreigners including fr Thai, India, Nigerians. We do not tolerate this kind of actions CZ it can kill our nations...adios

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  40. If you were poor, I bet you would be selling drugs to provide for your family. Is that an excuse for their actions? No. But none of you guys should judge them. Im on their side. I hope they don't kill them.

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  41. CONSULAR DE MAZACLAN 01152-669-916-5889 PORFAVOR DE SELON A LOS HERMANOS GONZALES....PORFAVOR SENOR JUEZ DE MALASYA QUIEN LLEVA EL CASO DE ELLOS

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  42. That's is just too bad for these low lifes. They get what they deserve. What a shame, now your family suffers because of you. I understand MX is a poor country, but why get involved with drugs? You play you pay!

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  43. If drug traffickers deserve to be hanged, i think that also drug users should!!!!

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  44. El dia que los ciudadanos Norte Americanos dejen de consumir drogas, volveremos a tener paz en Mexico

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