Blog dedicated to reporting on Mexican drug cartels
on the border line between the US and Mexico
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Sunday, October 12, 2014

Transformation of the Juárez Cartel, after the capture of Vicente Carrillo Fuentes

Translated to English by Chivís  from original article published in: La Silla Rota

By Víctor Manuel Sánchez Valdés

In its heyday, the Juarez cartel became the most powerful criminal organization in the country, it was present in over half of the states and dozens of cities in the United States, as well as contacts in several countries in South America and Europe. 

Now there is a different reality, the Juarez Cartel is far from what it was in the 90's, when Amado Carrillo was in charge of the organization. Today, the cartel barely is in control of several municipalities in northern Chihuahua and has a moderate presence in Sonora, Sinaloa, Durango and Coahuila. If we factor in  the arrest of their leader, Vicente Carrillo Fuentes alias " El Viceroy", last Thursday in the city of Torreón, one must accept that the Juarez Cartel faces significant challenges to ensure its survival as an organization.

In recent years, the Juárez Cartel has changed significantly, converting from  a criminal organization with a vertical chain of command, to a cartel that operates from a decentralization scheme, where some of the organizations that comprise it, operates semi-independently, as in the case of La Línea and Barrio Azteca.

The great transformation of this criminal organization, derived from its confrontation with the Sinaloa cartel for control of Juárez Metropolitan Area, this caused major changes in the structure and operation of the group, the Juárez Cartel had to form a group of assassins to defend its territory and also forged alliances with local gangs to expand their power.

Over the years, the leadership of the Juárez Cartel, began delegating more tasks to the group of assassins known as La Línea and the gang, Barrio Azteca. These tasks included not only defending territory or attacking members of rival organizations, but also became involved in operational functions of buying, trafficking, distribution and sale of drugs in Mexico and the United States.

In particular, members of La Línea  have been involved in the transport of drugs through the territory of our country, and at the junction of the United States, meanwhile, members of Barrio Azteca have a large network drug distribution in cities of the American Union,  as this gang has a presence in several locations, but also maintains alliances with gangs operating in other areas.

La Línea and Barrio Azteca operational autonomy have expanded over the years, as well as direct participation in the economic benefits of the Juárez Cartel, that is why the immediate future of the Juárez Cartel cannot be explained without seeking to unravel the possible strategies that can play out within these two organizations, after the arrest of Vicente Carrillo Fuentes.

It seems, that the person  in a better position to take command of the Juarez Cartel, is the current leader of La Línea: Juan Pablo Ledezma alias, "El JL ", who has long served as the right hand for Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, who delegated Ledezma to many of the operational responsibilities of drug trafficking and the control of various places in northern Chihuahua.

Other characters that have the potential (although very low) to gain control of the Juarez Cartel, are Eduardo “Tablas” Ravelo,  who is the current leader of the Barrio Azteca , and who since 2009 has been part of the list of 10 most wanted by the FBI and Juan Pablo Guijarro " El Monico" who is the second in command of La Línea and could take advantage of the power vacuum in the organization, to try towards moving  up in the organization of the cartel.

Both La Línea and Barrio Azteca , have significant firepower, so in a scenario where Juan Pablo Ledezma and Eduardo Ravelo fail to agree on which of them is left in charge of the organization, it may cause bloody power struggle that would epicenter in the Juarez Metropolitan Area.

Another aspect to consider is that Barrio Azteca has a better position than La Línea in the distribution of the drug in the United States, having a network of allied gangs that can move product in several cities of the American Union, however, La Línea has better contacts to acquire the drug. Hypothetically, if Barrio Azteca splits with La Línea, it can compromise their drug supply and see revenues suffer. 


So there are incentives for both parties to continue working as a team, although one cannot rule out that La Línea may try to find another organization that helps to distribute the product in the United States or Barrio Azteca attains another drug provider.

Because of this, one cannot rule out the feasibility of a scenario where there is a fragmentation of the  Juarez Cartel into two smaller units, formed by members of La Línea (and part of the current dome) and another by members of Barrio Azteca . However,  as the area under the influence of Juárez Cartel, is not very wide, it is expected that if there is fighting, it would be  concentrated in the metropolitan area of Juárez.

Another scenario that federal authorities should take seriously is the possibility that other criminal groups attempt to clip the Juárez Cartel, who still control the streets. The first organization interested in taking full control of the metropolitan area of ​​Juárez, is the Sinaloa Cartel, which has hired assassins groups in the area and has alliances with gangs, such as los Mexicles or los Artistas Asesinos that would be in a position to generate an offensive in Ciudad Juárez.

Another organization that might have an interest in getting into the areas controlled by the Juárez Cartel, is Los Zetas, which would be in a position to mobilize troops to the north of Chihuahua, to prevent the Sinaloa Cartel from seizing the region, but also to have additional points from which drug product can enter the United States without the need to recompense piso (“tax”), as they currently pay the Juárez Cartel.  continues next page

Empowering La Línea and Barrio Azteca within the structure of the Juarez Cartel, perfectly illustrates a trend that several criminal organizations have experienced in our country, namely, the rise of the hired assassins groups to address criminal enterprises. 

The apparatus of hired assassins in drug cartels, grew in size and importance over the past 15 years. For example, the Zetas, La Familia Michoacana and Cartel Jalisco New Generation began as hired killers apparatus for other criminal organizations, and  are now independent.

That the hired assassin’s devices have gained influence can be explained from two factors:
The first is that the fight between criminal groups for control of the country and the confrontation between the government and criminal organizations has intensified in recent years. So to ensure their survival, drug cartels hired a significant number of assassins, in order to face external conflict to their organization. 

And the second factor, is that these clashes have resulted in a high turnover in the leadership of organizations criminals. Regularly generated power vacuums in these organizations, which sometimes are used by the hired assassins groups as having firepower may compete for the leadership of the organization or can be independent of the criminal group that it served.

The rise of the utilization of hired assassins  should concern us, because it means a change  from the traditional model of drug trafficking in Mexico.  In the past, members of the drug cartels, worried about keeping their operations discreetly as possible, because in this way, the drug could go unnoticed and violence was rarely used. 

But what happens when groups become hired assassins for power in cartels? In this scenario violence increases because they become accustom to solving problems by means of weapons. 

And lack of drug suppliers, has resulted some groups diversifying to other crimes such as kidnapping or extortion, which require more intensive use of violence.

Because of this, the Federal Government should pay special attention to the metropolitan area of ​​Juárez, because there are chances of an escalation of violence in the region being generated due to the struggle for leadership of the Juárez Cartel or because a rival group seizing the  areas that it now controls.
  

87 comments:

  1. I can't find one point of this analysis I disagree with....

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    Replies
    1. Nobody with the last name Carrillo left to take over?

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    2. WRONG IM A CARRILLO MY NAME IS RAFFA CARRILLO AND IM KNOW HAS EL CUARTA LETRA CARRILLO

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    3. Well it's time to step up from out of the shadows. Carrillos have always been about business.

      ... put me in coach im down..

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  2. So in reality NO one can stop the Cartels, capture 1 n 5 more are ready to step...Rapper ICE T rapped it best in the song Colors: The gangs in L.A. we never die, we just multiple...in this case The cartels in Mexico they never die they just multiple.

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  3. Does anyone know if femicide is still an issue down there in Juarez and how that influences that?

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  4. Tablas looks like he was shitted instead of born. Thats one ugly s.o.b.

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    Replies
    1. Ya but that dude will slice your
      Throat in a heartbeat.

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    2. Ha ha not my throar but i get your point.

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  5. Is JL on the streets? I thought he was arrested. Also la linea was supposed to be to the juarez cartel what los zetas was to the cdg.

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    Replies
    1. JL is not in jail but he's been rumored dead for a long time. No sightings in years, but who knows? Yeah, La Linea was the Juarez armed guard similar to the Zetas & CDG; but look how that turned out.

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    2. As far as i know from good sources. He was killed by ondeado in culiacan.. I known that hes was killed few years back..

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    3. Yes JL is dead dead dead. Jajajaj hasta ke miren el cadaver entonces denlo por muerto. JL is very much alive.You can find him in Chihuahua, Chihuahua. He is always with el comando lince. Y si no creen vallan y averiguen.

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    4. I thought he was cought. If by any chance hes actually alive the juarez cartel wld still have him and that other guy that was a bodyguard for amado and was let loose earlier this year.my point is they still have a few guys able to hold their cartel together. Im also prettty sure that the carrillo family still has members that followed their dads and uncles into the business. I also agree that the vcf organization as well as blo and afo are probably the weekest rightnow with all their arrests.

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  6. "You can kill a man, but you can't kill an idea." - Medgar Evers

    This shit will never end!

    Joining a crime syndicate is my favorite suicide method. When I am ready to die I'll join my local cartel.

    Leí en YouTube "por cada liniero que matan, se meten dos". Por lo menos en Cuauhtemoc la linea sigue igual de fuerte que siempre.

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    1. Sinaloa is now in control....linea and ba dont have the life line which is drug connects to continue and succeed.....they are just the bottom feeders so they will just continue extorting and kidnapping for their sources of income just like their butt buddys los Mugrozozz ....Sinaloa has this one in tge bag

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    2. Looks like Sinaloa won huh?

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    3. Yeah sinaloa won.....by cheating in the war using the govt....

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    4. There are no rules to war buddy....

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    5. Cds doesnt exist anymore its chapos vs mayos, by the way mention sinaloa here in juarez and get your head cut off.

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    6. Its not mayitos vs chapos.....it will never be like that.....hay billetes para todos....si no sabes no hablas baboso...Arriba Sinaloa cabrones....Sinaloa la cuna de los toros pesados....Juarez la cuna de putos.....

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    7. Sinaloa la cuna de view as pone dedos.. puro culones, que sin el govierno no as en nada. . Asicones como tu

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    8. Sinaloa ya no tiene dinero todas las gueras perdidas y todos los jefes muertos o encerrados por eso ahora estan de guerra mayos vs chapos

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  7. "La raza se encuentra al 100 y mas esa de Chihuahua esa gente de la linea no se raga para nada" im not a linea supporter but i gotta admit that corrido is badass

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  8. I just have a feeling that la__ and BA are going to grow stronger and more powerful

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    Replies
    1. They dont have the structure And now their backbone is gone without cdj.....Sinaloa is taking over right now as we speak.....those that dont jump ship will get merc'd....

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  9. JL is rumored to be dead back in 2012.

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  10. La linea and aztecas need each other in order to survive. These guys will never go to war with each other.

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    Replies
    1. Funny that you say that. There was a time when la linea was killing aztecas all the time for thieving drugloads then when the war was on the aztecas became juarez foot soldiers.

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  11. Listen there are other assassin groups that work for vcf. They are, los linces, la milicia, muertos and la frontera. I dont see anthing happening cuz los aztecascontrol cd juarez/el paso and la linea controls central and south chiwas and also zetas/la linea control east chiwas.

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  12. Como no va ser Valiente
    Si el hombre es de Culiacan
    Cien porciento Sinaloense
    Lo a podido demostrar
    Porque apunta de sus balas
    A peliado ese lugar

    Por apodo es el Dos Letras
    Asi lo llama su Gente
    Bravo armado del Cartel
    Siempre a peleado de frente
    Esta muy bien respaldado
    Lo apoya el Jefe Vicente

    Con un convoy bien armado
    Se pasea por la ciudad
    Ciudad juarez la frontera
    Que tiene que vigilar
    El Tio lo dejo encargado
    Pa la plaza controlar

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  13. What ever happened to Jesus Salas el chuyin for la linea

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  14. Tablas has been around the block. He gava hell to the Chaputos for years. I'm not sure why he's not as well known.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FBI top 10 most wanted is pretty well known.

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  15. El Doctor de Navolato quedo en libertad en febrero. No lo tiene pesado entre la linea y los colombianos?

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  16. Puro valle de juarez k=z controla. Caseta la capital del valle d juarez pura fam la s10 gente del primo diego sigue junta gente del gabino ayi no se meten marranos aztecas tekatos en el valle no caben

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  17. So you don't see anyone from within the Carrillo Fuentes family, be it nephews or sons, etc., being capable of taking charge of the carterl? I heard that Julio Cesar and Juan Carrillo Leyva, sons of Amado are possible successors to El Viceroy.

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  18. BIG QUESTION? What became of Amado Carrillo son Vicente Carrillo Leyva? I know he got busted, but does anyone have more info on him? Or was he low budget Capo?

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  19. Jl is from culiacan

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  20. Rumored had it Z-40 sent a lot support towards Juarez and N.Chihuahua.
    Money,Guns, Troops to train the Juarez ppl.. They were allowed to pass goods with a price...Funny how Viceroy got caught in Torreon Coauhilla .. Zeta Bastion??? Z40 dropped that dime..

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  21. What about Los Linces there are supposed to be a commando unit working for the Juarez cartel made up of ex special forces??

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  22. Things could really heat up in Juarez but probably not as much as it was a few years ago. Does anyone know if cartel commanders/lieuntants (not leaders) in organizations like Juarez, CDG and BLO actually make big money or has revenue really dried up?

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  23. This cartel problem in Mexico is just getting started. Its like welfare in USA.people don't want to work anymore. And they see government steal and join in with the cartel's. Its going to get a lot worse.

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  24. to SMH
    If you have solid proof Ledezma is dead, that is cool, send it to me and I will take to DEA and PGR who both say he is alive, and we can split the bounty. OK?

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    Replies
    1. I'm not talking about that.Who cares if he's dead.I'm talking about every other stupid rumor that comes about,once one these guys is busted or killed.Its all bullshit,nobody knows what's really gonna happen.Not even connected guys...And thanks for posting my comment.Instead of responding back without my comment..SMH

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    2. Caro Quintero is in Michoacan tip the DEA n we will go half on the 5million bounty :)

      Delete
  25. To Corpus Christi Tx, thank you for the message! Your words touched my heart. I am good to go and live the next stage of my life. I have not written about it yet in MB. At beginning of Nov I will. I hope our little meeting place continues with new cogs in the engine. Fresh minds and hearts to carry on...
    But I am not sure that will happen. hopefully as Cher once sang

    "and the BEAT goes on...." Paz, Chivis

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  26. The 'Beat does go on and your languaging of the articles continues to be amazing and insightful. Chivis, now that the Juarez cartel has been daylighted, sort of, is there any information on the reason for the wholesale slaughter of addicts/alcoholics who were residing in Juarez treatment facilities ~2 yrs ago. As I recall, at least 2 facilities were raided by sicarios and dozens of residents were killed.

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  27. Chivis wheres the comment i posted?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are looking at it! 10:03

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    2. I agree no wonder this site has lost most of its followers

      Delete
  28. Los tres animales van a controlar el norte perico, chiva y gayo MEXICO RIFA!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pos el unico animal aqui pareces ser TU.

      Delete
  29. Wasnt JL"la bestia"rumored to have been sent to Choix when the crazy days long fight happened?And was rumored to be killed?But,like everyone here no one knows if alive or dead,he is still wanted by DEA under Luis Pablo Rios-Rodriguez etc,and Mexico.Anyone want to confront and arrest him?
    Does anyone remember the Porras Gonzalez family of Villa Ahumada and what La Linea did to them?The whole family had to ask for political asylum from the US,they left Mexico with nothing after all their business's and houses had been stolen,and family members executed,for who knows what?Were they aligned with CDS maybe?

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  30. WHY ARE THE BIG PLAYERS ALL FROM SINALOA? I THINK THE GOVERNENT IS TRING TO TAKE OUT ALL THE SMALL CARTELS SO THERES ONLY ONE BIG CARTEL PLAYER AND ONE OLD SCHOOL CAPO EL MAYO ZAMBADA KEEPS CONTROL ON THE DRUG TRADE SOUNDS GOOD TO ME HAS LONG HAS THEY ONLY SEND DRUG TO USA AND NOT MESS WHIT INNOCENT PEOPLE HAS THEY BEAN DOING THE PAST 30 YEARS

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Because Sinaloenses were the pioneers of drug trafficking in mexico the government started making deals with them first since like the 1920s look it up online Sinaloa been a bandit state since 1800s

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  31. Chivis is a snitch

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    Replies
    1. Why is she informing to the mexican or American goverments? Did she testify in court against someone? If posting stories on here is snitching then even singing corridos are snitching

      Delete
  32. your comment was rude

    I would hope that not too many people focus on such a narrow scope of point eg is jl dead or not. sorta dumb since no one knows, many dead have resurrected

    but to focus on that is silly, that was but one hypothesis, and if you are saying he is dead so there goes la linea, only that would then negate the theory.

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  33. Remember that video that surfaced on youtube a few years back (dont know if its still there) it was the brother of the ex subprocuradora de chihuahua patricia gonzales where he is interrogated by sinaloa cartel people and tells the story of the jl guy having been killed in sinaloa, he also tells about who is behind the feminicides in juarez.....that same guy turned up dead days later. Search ex subprocuradora de chihuahua on youtube.

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  34. Jl is just like Vicente carillo he is in hiding. I believe he is well alive but they have people spreading rumors that he is dead. Just like they spreaded rumors that Vicente was sick and that he retired in belize.

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  35. There were rumors that the aztecas killed jl and that came from carillo fuentes nephew who was arrested and testified in el paso court.

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  36. aztecas formed on the U.S. side but ended up having more members on Juarez side. they are known as aztecas and barrio aztecas, same group, recruit from prison . dea wants Tablas more than jl, he has been most wanted for years.

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    Replies
    1. That is true about tablas he is fbi's most wanted. There were rumors he had killed a bunch of informants.

      Delete
  37. El americano will be making a move in ciudad juarez!!!

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  38. I totally forgot about Ravelo.. Amazing how this guy is still on the run.

    Chivis, this place will never be the same without you but the true fans will always believe in you, no matter where you go.

    Much love and you will be missed, greatly.

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  39. Not much detail on JL's life, personality issues and family and friends.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Well I guess I have fallen out of favor with the BB writers. None of my comments are getting posted. Farewell Chivis, Chapo snitched guy and my adversarial ADHD friend they call Millie. It was fun while it lasted. I will still read the stories but no more comments from this guy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good all your comments made no sense anyway. just dont log in period. anyway we can ban this guy from BB?

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    2. Pinche mamon 10/14/14 6:02p. You won't get any brownie points from Chivis so stop trying. Pendejos get no love around here.

      Delete
  41. 3:27 PM
    "the brother of the ex subprocuradora de chihuahua patricia gonzales,tells about who is behind the feminicides in juarez"
    It was brutal,the guy in it fuckin around as if it was batting practice,with silly walks and snapping the pick handle on him?Oyyoyyoy it was brutal,he said many things she then denied.But she would..They were all workers for Juarez/La Linea.Who was doing the hitting?Cabreras,Salgueiro,X,GN, Achilles,who knows

    ReplyDelete
  42. "Well I guess I have fallen out of favor with the BB writers I will still read the stories but no more comments from this guy."

    Dude,they have so many comments some will be left out,it must happen to everyone,besides how can you live without millie?Very easy i know.Many comments must be left out,if they contain nothing but hate and gibberish,and even if they don't.Consider they moderate 100s of comments?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey put that guy on suicidal watch he is really hurt!! hahahaha

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    2. @10/14/14 12:19p. You are right!! How can I do without the "insightful" Millie. I'm still here Millie Vanillie!!!

      Delete
  43. "WRONG IM A CARRILLO MY NAME IS RAFFA CARRILLO"

    What it is brah,what it do mayn,tell us something you think we should know?
    Not to much now,we dont want people in strife,just whats up?C,mon wey?

    ReplyDelete
  44. " is there any information on the reason for the wholesale slaughter of addicts/alcoholics who were residing in Juarez treatment facilities"

    They were recruiting pools and sometimes killing many to get to a few,at least one was a complete mistake.No one was aligned.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Maybe El Mayo & Don Rafa Q are cleaning up the cartels to get things organized? Didn't they just have a big meeting of all the top bosses and VCF sent El Chapo Isidro? Maybe VCF didn't want to play ball so they gave him up? But whoever does take control of the cartel they better take it back to the old ways kill each other and leave the public alone the government is sending a message no more killed innocent bystanders!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Maybe El Mayo & Don Rafa Q are cleaning up the cartels to get things organized? Didn't they just have a big meeting of all the top bosses and VCF sent El Chapo Isidro? Maybe VCF didn't want to play ball so they gave him up? But whoever does take control of the cartel they better take it back to the old ways kill each other and leave the public alone the government is sending a message no more killed innocent bystanders"

      First of all Chapo Isidro don't work for VCF and so VCF didn't send him anywhere. Chapo works got El H of BLO. Second, VCF was at the summit. Lastly, the US Feds want RCQ very badly and I doubt he is running anything at the moment. If he is smart he will stay retired and out of sight.

      Delete
  46. The Treatment Centers were cover for CDS cockroaching into the city. They were hits strategically to eliminate more of Chapo,s typical pattern of heating up the plazas of other cartels. El Viceroy was so far removed his loss isn't even noticed. Many of the writers on this blog have predicted the finish of CDJ 5 different times. I haven't bothered responding, just let then fail a prediction again and again. CDJ is getting stronger, has alliances and a plan. Nobody knows their structure nor their activities. But it is very foolish to think that CDS has any ability without military support to touch Juarez. CDS needs to hang on to their plaza. Chapo Isidro is gonna take it. CDJ ran 10.000 troops out. Who the hell can penetrate that without Government support. CDS nuthuggers may need to look real hard to see if they even have a nut to hug.

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  47. So where do the Herrera cartel fall in all this. They been working with the Juarez pendejos since the 70's. They took the Zetas to Durango and where left in fossas(about 700 of them)

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  48. They been working with the Juarez pendejos

    Lmao

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  49. at October 13, 2014 at 9:41 AM .
    Dude heres the answer to your question about the treatment centers..
    This guy.. " October 14, 2014 at 7:47 PM "

    ReplyDelete
  50. at 12:46 PM
    There you go man,theres no reason to bale.It must be a pain moderating all the comments,checking them for race shit and all kinds

    ReplyDelete

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