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Thursday, December 11, 2014

Guerreros Unidos Cell in the U.S. Dismanteled

The leaders of a cell of Guerreros Unidos, based out of the Chicago, Illinois area, 40 year old Pablo Vega Cuevas and his 37 year old brother-in-law Alexander Figueroa, were arrested on Tuesday morning, December 9 in southeastern Oklahoma.  Both these individuals lived in the Chicago suburb of Aurora, where they oversaw the importation of heroin and cocaine hidden in commercial passenger buses arriving in Chicago from Mexico, which was stored in warehouses in Aurora and Batavia before the drugs were distributed.  Following their arrest, Vega and Figueroa appeared in federal court and were then transferred to Chicago.

In addition, that same day three other members of the cell, 50 year old Eliseo Betancourt Pereira of Aurora, 39 year old Roberto Sanchez of Chicago, and 29 year old Isaias Mandujano of Rockford,
were arrested in the Chicago area.  All three individuals appeared in federal court and are being held pending a detention hearing to take place in the following days.

Arrest warrants have also been issued for three other members of this cell, 43 year old Wilfredo Flores Santos of North Aurora, 31 year old Jose Rodriguez of Chicago, and 33-34 year old Arturo Martinez, who is currently believed to be in Mexico.

Seven of the individuals face the charges of conspiracy to posses and distribute a kilogram or more of heroin, which carries a sentence of a $10 million fine and ten years to life in prison, while Mandujuano faces a charge of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, which carries a sentence of a $5 million fine and five to forty years in prison.

Since August 2013, when the investigation of this cell began, 68 kilograms of heroin, 9 kilograms of cocaine, and $500,000 has been seized by authorities.

33 comments:

  1. Just one of many cells working in the US. This isnt going to stop anything.

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  2. Oklahoma? What were they doing there?

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    1. Probably on their way to flee to Mexico because they knew they were in deep shit already

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    2. Chicago. Didnt u read it

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    3. Oklahoma is an important crossroads for drug trafficking as I-40 runs east-west through it and I-35 runs north-south. However, the fact that they were arrested in southeast Oklahoma is very odd as that would not be on the major interstates and, in fact, the only major city in that area is McAlester. Despite all my effort, I have been unable to verify the exact location in Oklahoma they were arrested.

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    4. Dealing the heroin and meth in Oklahoma could be the cause

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  3. Un pelo de gato mean one cat hair, i don't know what made me think of it, maybe the 1.5 year since they say the investigation started,
    The MAN usually lets the boys move the shit until the cash is in, 500 000.oo usd is about... i don't think it covers the manpower, of curse once the stash gets "placed" they get a chance to recover some mo' and mo' better cash...for chrismus toys...
    --oklahoma, were they recovering the zetas lines and horse rancho???

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  4. I wonder what bus lines cross the border with the drugs? There couldn't be many altogether. I only know of one, Greyhound. But from the border all the way to Chicago with no bus change?

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    1. Ever heard of Tornado (directly to Chicago), Regiomontañas, etc. There's a dozen Mexican buslines that cross the Mexican border and go all over the interior of the US. Most gringos don't know about them. I'm sure they were using these buses. Greyhound is used by ... non-Mexicans.

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    2. There's a lot of bus lines (Mexican) that run to Chicago.

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    3. And the random drug checks they do on the buses with the dogs.

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    4. There are a few buslines that run from chicago all the way to Mexico. People from chicago use these to travel there, of course not knowing these buses are then loaeded up w extra merchandise to bring back to chicago.

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    5. That's a good question I've been thinking about myself and, in fact, discussed with my wife last night. There are a number of smaller bus lines that cater to travelers to and from Mexico. The one I have used in the past, El Conejo, starts in Milwaukee, Wisconsin I believe, I know it goes through Chicago for sure, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Austin, Laredo, and down in Mexico through Queretaro, Guanajuato, and Michoacan. Another line, El Tornado, has a similar path. But like you said, there is the issue of the bus change. El Conejo stops in Dallas and passengers are moved to a different bus. In the past it also changed in Laredo, Texas, but that is no longer the case.

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    6. @ Anonymous December 12, 2014 at 4:07 AM

      With regards to the random checks with the dogs, my past experience (which my wife confirms is still the case) is that at the Laredo border all passengers depart the bus and go through the border check with their own luggage which is offloaded from the bus. Drug dogs are present sniffing luggage as the inspections are being done. The bus itself is scanned by a large x-ray machine while this is happening. Occasionally drug dogs go on the bus. My speculation would be that the drugs are somehow left on the bus (not in luggage) in a manner that is not obvious to the x-ray scan.

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    7. The drugs are already in the U.S. smuggled on separate trips. Picked up in cities past border checkpoints. Mules with phantom I.D. are let on board.. They're never logged in the passenger manifest .. Just luggage claim ticket for stash. Some make it some don't .. " one time riding back from Mexico on the Regiomontanos..we clear both checkpoints at bridge and final on highway. Headed towards Georgia we were in Mississippi late at night everyone asked to present I.D. By the Mississippi Highway Patrol.. They confiscated 2 suitcases couldn't find the suitcase owner. They let us go.. Like about 25 miles out the driver let this young man off at gas station that was closed off and kept driving.. Who knows who is who and everybody gets a piece..

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    8. I used one called Rivas from Chicago to Zacatecas and the drivers were sniffing coke all the way there. We had several stops in areas like behind car shops and they would unload packages and pick up others. Most of the bus lines have package delivery service, I'm sure a cover up for their real business. Will never again travel in bus to Mexico.

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    9. 3:11 Daaammnnn. How easy they get away with it. All the highway police chiefs from the US should make it mandatory for HIGHWAY PATROLS to stop every mexican buss seen to search them with dogs. Easy money for cartel thugs. No Jodan

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    10. If you from Guerrero you know some1 who is.involved in Frank Lucas line my dad is at mcc awaiting sentence on a heroin conspiracy,my cousins got 20 years not worth it at all Arriva Guerrero though no shame huarachudo,chaparro,y barrigon

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    11. You name it there are Durango express bus to Herrera enterprise. There must be 1000's of these no name bus services bringing dope. I know 3 from Durango. Look into the guys from rincon

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  5. tu sancho... I think the article says the buses went from Mexico to Chicago...

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  6. Vergaa ese cartel de guerrero estaban pesados no dejaban entrar a nadien y desechaban a enemigos sistematicamente con todo el apoyo del gobierno.

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  7. Joan Sebastian has roots in Chicago, he lived here near 18th st in the late 70's, early 80's. Not surprising this cartel cell was diamantled here.

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    1. It's interesting that you pointed that out, I was not aware of that particular detail. However, the name of one of those arrested, Alexander Figueroa, caught my eye as he shares the same last name as the real name of Joan Sebastian, José Manuel Figueroa. I won't go so far as to say they are related, but at the very least it is a possibility.

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    2. Another figueroa on this shiet seems like they really are into something? aren't they?

      Ranchero/Grupero/Banda "music artist" is more like DRUG CARTEL ASSOCIATES or OWNERS I would say, using "their music" to hide their drug trafficking negocio. Maybe that is how they can't afford all those expensive suits they use, with all the ranches they own back in mx.

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    3. Michoacanos, Durangos, Jalisco,Guerrero and any other paisas wanting to hustle..all the same.. Bricks or Bundles bound for the Windy City...

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    4. 11:19 Norteños tambien

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    5. If a state got the money, the gangs, then the cartels are on it. That is how they make their dope money. funny how the dumb gang members take the hit while the big dogs back in mx are free trowing parties in their ranches. the "little" ones get caught first

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  8. there are many mexican bus lines operating on the US territory, did you think we only use coyotes to come in???

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  9. They get by with a little help from corrupted officials on this side of the border. Everyone has a price $$$.

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    1. The cartels probably have thugs infiltrated inside US customs, giving the free pass to busses, trucks, cars they recognize carrying drugs into the US.

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  10. Ha. I'm from Aurora, IL. I'm here right now for the holidays. I live in San Diego now. Yeah there is always a lot of coke and herion out here. It's been a smuggling hub for Chicago since AL Capone ran the place. There is a huge Mexican population here. They outnumber the white people now. They always get big busts out here. Everything six months they do a pretty big sweep which usually ends with 40-50 drug dealers on the front page of the local paper. They are pretty good at catching them so beware if you bring in big weight of hard drugs. The judges will throw the book at them too out here. The penalties are pretty stiff for drugs. A lucky few seem to catch wind and get away to Mexico. They put the drugs in the bathroom compartment on the buses or trains. They bring a screw driver in with them and take a panel or two off. That way if the drugs are found they can deny they are the owners. Don't ask me how I know. Ha ha ha. Plus vacuum sealing is effective if no contents touched the outside of the package. Mason jars work great as long as the outside has no residue of the drug. Canning also works well. Think food quality containers at the supermarket. Do you think a dog could smell through a can that's been vacuum sealed in a can? Ha ha it can't. Fuck yeah my hometown on borderland beat!!! Bitchin

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    1. What's up aurora homie. These buses going to the border also gather money from passengers so that the checkpoints go smoothe. No or low money means they check every piece of luggage while on the other hand some people give and encourage others to do the same so checkpoints go faster. No worries the bus driver himself reminds you over the intercom to get your money ready. Heard a good story on NPR today about the busses going to mexico from chicago and how undirect these direct bus lines are. The reporter did an excelent story about herself going to mexico from chicago ever since she was little. It is odd to be reading bout Aurora, North aurora and Batavia on bb. My stomping grounds. Like anywhere else, you mind you're own business and people don't mess you. Arriba Aurorita la Bella!

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    2. Fack aurora and all the other gang areas of chicago same with california places with dishonest mexicacas

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