Blog dedicated to reporting on Mexican drug cartels
on the border line between the US and Mexico
.

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Wife of Iguala Mayor Abarca is the head of Guerreros Unidos Cartel

Translated for Borerland Beat from Reforma by Otis B Fly-Wheel



The head of the PGR, Jesus Murillo Karam, revealed that Maria de los Angeles Pineda, wife of the ex Mayor of Iguala, is the real Boss of the Guerreros Unidos cartel responsible for the disappearance and killing of the 43 students of Ayotzinapa.

Karam also revealed that her husband Jose Luis Abarca the former Mayor was second in command of the cartel, this made it more difficult to find evidence against them.

The Lady, like a good cartel boss, is making it very difficult for the PGR to bring organized crime charges against the pair and the cartel.

"However we've conducted investigations, which included taking statements from convicts in US prisons, we have testimony that clearly puts them at the reins of Guerrero Unidos, with links to the mother, father and two brothers."
He also acknowledged that the communication strategy had not been good.

Original article in Spanish at reforma

Seido target hit men in BCS part 5 Internal conflict in FEDD


Translated for Borderland Beat from a Zetatijuana Special Report by Otis B Fly-Wheel

Internal Conflict in the Fuerzas Especials de Damaso



After the mistaken murder of an innocent bystander in the colonia Revolucion, the people of "El 28" and "El Pepillo", started an internal conflict in the Fuerza Especiales de Damaso of La Paz.

After six months of participating together in, kidnapping, executions, gun battles  and dismembering in the city of La Paz, Baja California Sur, the head of the Fuerza Especiales de Damaso, entered into an internal conflict on the 18th of January.

The cause of the conflict is because of an innocent man who was killed in error.

Shot four times while he relaxed inside his home in Calle Bernaldo Maldonado between Luis Barajas and Enrique Von Borstel in the colonia Revolucion in La Paz

According to the primary investigations of the PGJE, the hit men wanted to kill the three sons of the Victim, Humberto Juarez Lucero, 54 years of age.

Friday, January 30, 2015

2 Alleged Puente Grande prison guards executed in Jalisco

Borderland Beat
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Two security agents, believed to be prison guards at the Maximum Security Prison of Puente Grande, were executed near the New Guadalajara Bus Central in Tlaquepaque, Jalisco.

The attack took place today (January 30th) shortly before 1 PM, at the moment the officers were off duty and awaiting a bus in a place known as Portales del Calzado. According to witness reports, several men travelling in three vehicles arrived at the scene and shot the men.

The assassins fled in different ways using the highways near the are, including the Mexico City Highway and Blvd. Lazaro Cardenas.

The hitmen left several threatening banners over the bodies of the guards (unofficially identified as Carlos Alejandro Gutierrez Resendiz and Ricardo Vergara Garcia)

In an interview with local network Notisistema, Ivan Barba, operations director for the Tlaquepaque Police said "It looks as they are people who work in the Federal Prison, it´s not official yet and it was a direct attack, they were waiting for their bus".

Besides local and state authorities, members of the Federal Police and Federal Attorney´s General Office arrived at the scene to make verify if the victims were indeed workers at the Federal Maximum Security Prison #2 "Occidente" (Tijuano´s Note: Formerly known as Puente Grande or "Puerta Grande" since that´s the prison from which El Chapo Guzman escaped, this is the same prison where Rafael Caro Quintero was held before he was set free by the current federal administration).

SOURCE : ZETA TIJUANA

The detention of " El Lico " provokes highway blockades in Tierra Caliente


Translated for Borderland Beat from a Michoacan 3.0 article by Otis B Fly-Wheel

Updated 1st Feb


Morelia Michoacan


This Thursday morning, elements of the Mexican Army detained Frederico Villegas Garcia alias "El Lico" and another two men for crimes that have not been revealed in an official manner.

These actions provoked anger among the residents of Atunez, who maintain blockades of the Cuatro Camino - Apatzingan highway to demand the release of the three captives.

During the operation the three men were arrested around 1 am when they were in their respective homes, prompting dozens of neighbors to come out and defend them.


Thursday, January 29, 2015

Trickery in the normalista assassin's perp walk-Handcuffed? Nope, water-bottled!

written by lucio: Thanks out to Pepe for the images
                                                               Image 1
Even by Mexican standard of ethics, truth and transparency, this is one of those stand out gems.

The guy who appears to be handcuffed above is 'El Cepillo', the suspect arrested 2 weeks ago. This is the assassin of the missing students, and the guy who Mexico's attorney general placed his faith in to go along with the script, to provide the  truthful testimony that closed the case of the normalistas of Iguala.

In the first image, it is not in your face evident, that something is awry, but after you view the third image you will see what is up.

In the second image, the “most dangerous of assassins”  loses his concentration, forgetting he is supposed to be handcuffed, his right hand seems to have been unconstrained.

                                                     Image 2: loses concentration

In the third image it is self-explanatory, what is going on, there are no handcuffs for this “madman killer of students”.  He is gripping a water bottle. (image on next page)

In my post of January 25th, I wrote the following;

“Officials said Friday that they had detained a ”leader of the Guerreros Unidos” criminal group that prosecutors believe killed 43 college students, then burned their bodies in a case that began about four months ago.

There has been an arrest of Guerreros Unidos “leader”, Felipe RodrĂ­guez Salgado, alias ‘El Cepillo’, who  is being detained and “interrogated."

Government officials are hoping the suspect may add details to the theory that the authorities have outlined.”

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

New Indictments Against Sinaloa Cartel in the Wake of Flores Twins' Sentencing

AP Photo by Charles Rex Arbogast
In the wake of a 14 year prison sentence being given to the Flores twins, who were first indicted in 2009, came the announcement that United States officials in Chicago had issued an eighth superseding indictment to that initial 2009 case targeting the Sinaloa Cartel, as well as three new indictments.

The Capture of La Tuta is our priority : General Gurrola

Translated for Borderland Beat from a Proceso article by Otis B Fly-Wheel
Morelia Michoacan

General Gurrola and  Michoacan Governor Salvado Jara Guerrero
After the installation of the Group for Coordination in Michoacan in its capital Morelia, the General of the Division Felipe Gurrola Ramirez affirmed that the capture of Servando Gomez Martinez, La Tuta, and six more leaders of the Knights Templar Cartel, would be the priority in his anti-crime strategy.

The General said that the Cartel no longer holds hegemony in the state, but accepted that they still operate from stronghold and isolated pockets.

For his part, the Governor Salvador Jara Guerrero announced that the Group for Coordination, will work with element of society, businessmen, farmers, intellectuals, among others to carry out consultation forums throughout the state. Also forums will be held in Municipalities where regional issues will be addressed.

MX attorney general says 'Chapo' will be extradicted to U.S.... in "300 or 400 years"

Lucio; posted by Pepe republished from The Big Story

Captured Sinaloa drug cartel leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman will not be extradited to the United States anytime soon, Mexico's top prosecutor said Tuesday.

Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam [aka #YaMeCanse] said he was expecting to receive a formal request later in the day from Washington, which also wants to prosecute Guzman on drug trafficking charges. But U.S. authorities will have a long wait.

"I could accept extradition, but at the time that I choose. 'El Chapo' must stay here to complete his sentence, and then I will extradite him," Murillo Karam told The Associated Press in an interview.

"So about 300 or 400 years fro now — it will be a while." 

Murillo Karam later clarified that he was referring to the time that it would take for Guzman to complete his sentences, "given all the crimes he's being prosecuted for." 

Guzman was arrested by Mexican marines last February in the Pacific Coast tourist resort of Mazatlan, ending years on the run as Mexico's most wanted man after a daring prison break in 2001. He is being held at a maximum-security prison near the capital.

Murillo Karam said sending Guzman to the United States would save Mexico a lot of money, but keeping him here is a question of national sovereignty.

He also dismissed concerns that Guzman could escape a second time. That risk "does not exist," Murillo Karam said.

U.S. congressional leaders have called for Guzman's extradition, but a formal request had not been made.

At least seven U.S. federal courts have pending complaints against Guzman accusing him of masterminding operations that smuggled drugs into the country.


Tortured then thrown to the Crocodiles


Translated for Borderland Beat from a Notinfomex article by Otis B Fly-Wheel


He was identified as Venancio Soberanis Pantoja, a youngster who was thrown to crocodiles in Larazo Cardenas, after being tortured and executed.

The body was on the point of being completely devoured by the crocodiles in the Santa Anna bar. However tourists and locals reported the situation to authorities, then elements of civil protection among others, attended the site and managed to snatch the body from the jaws of the reptiles.

The situation occurred around Midday just at the height of the bridge of Santa Ana, in the Boulevard of the Municipality of Lazaro Cardenas. The police suspect the killer or killers threw the body off the viaduct, and subsequently the reptiles ate his left leg.( Otis : id say that is his right leg )

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

The chicago Twins who betrayed Chapo sentenced to 14 years

Republished by Lucio from The Chicago Tribune written by Jason Meisner

Lucio's note:

Minutes ago, the Flores twins were sentenced to 14 years each

Security at sentencing in the federal courtroom in Chicago was tight,  extra security checks outside courtroom doors and a bomb-sniffing dog sweeping for explosives. For their security, neither of the twins' attorneys was named in court.

Stated Judge Castillo when handing down the sentence;

"Even though I am not going to sentence you to life, you are leaving here with a life sentence.  Each time you start your car (when they are released), you are going to be wondering, is it going to start, or will it explode." 
 
Prosecutors had requested a sentence of 10 years.  Noting, because of the twins' cooperation they were able to issue  indictments of Guzman and more than 50 others. (3 new names were added today)

Castillo said the twins were the most significant traffickers ever in his court. Adding he had never seen drug traffickers at the height of their power and wealth, come forward to offer to assist the government and provide information, as the Flores brothers had.

And that day of freedom is much sooner than people think. 14 years, with 6 years served, and 2 years factored in for "good behavior, 54 days each year is the max allowed, these deductions mean the brothers could be released in 6 years. In the first video, the federal prosecutor talks about the case and sentencing, including the cooperation by the brothers, and the wiretapping of their conversations with Chapo.   

Frenchwoman freed from Mexico jail sues former president calderon and others for 36M

Republished by lucio from Associated Press

Florence Cassez, a Frenchwoman who became a cause celebre in her country, after she was jailed for kidnapping in Mexico, is suing a former Mexican president among other former officials and a major TV network, her lawyer said Monday.

Jose Patino Hurtado, Cassez's attorney in Mexico, told Noticias MVS radio that the civil suit filed on Friday seeks $36 million for suffering and "moral damage."

The lawsuit seeks "above all to vindicate Florence Cassez, which is the most important thing," Patino said in an interview with Noticias MVS host Carmen Aristegui.

It names ex-President Felipe Calderon, former Public Safety Secretary Genaro Garcia Luna and other officials, as well as the Televisa TV network and journalists including the prominent anchor Carlos Loret de Mola.

A Televisa spokesman said the company had no immediate comment. Calderon called the lawsuit "absurd" in an interview with journalist Joaquin Lopez Doriga on Radio Formula.

Cassez was arrested in 2005 and sentenced to 60 years on charges of aiding a kidnapping ring allegedly led by her Mexican boyfriend, in a case that soured relations between Paris and Mexico City.

She acknowledged living with the boyfriend at a ranch where kidnap victims were being held, but professed her innocence, saying she was unaware of their presence. One victim identified her as a kidnapper, but by voice only rather than by sight.

Torture and Corruption in the Municipal Police

Translated for Borderland Beat from a Zetatijuana Special Report by Otis B Fly-Wheel

Official documents that were sent anonymously to ZETA, carry accounts of confessions given by corrupt Municipal Police. Dishonest, confessing to serving cells of criminal organizations, addicted to drugs and or alcoholism , having problems with depression and authority. Others have been narco-traffickers, or have criminal records ( antecedents ) in the USA, whilst others move and dispose of bodies for criminals. The cases are from the commission for police improvement in Tijuana, the secretary Alejandro Lares Valladares, but there are no results, the majority of these police men are still working for the corporation.

The sins confessed by Municipal police agents in Tijuana , merited a procedure to dismiss them from the Police, but most of the 154 agents  that failed the examinations of evaluation and confidence are still working to “ serve “ the public.
The categories of offenses confessed are :
  • Trafficking drugs in united states
  • Robbery in California 
  • Using drugs 
  • Giving information to narco traffickers 
  • Moving corpses for criminals 
  • Receiving money to free criminals from custody

One more is for torturing detainees to gain false confessions, collection of extortion , participating in robberies , taking drugs against police policy , not having the required education and falsifying entry certificates to enter the Tijuana police force.
Of the 154 Municipal Policeman , whose names are in the Commission of Police Development, some from the year 2013 , because they were not officially approved by the center for evaluation and control of confidence ( C3).

Who is the new head of security in Michoacan


Translated for Borderland Beat from a Michoacan 3.0 article by Otis B Fly-Wheel

General Pedro Felipe Gurrola Ramirez
Discrete, with little operational experience but known as a user of intelligence information. The General Pedro Felipe Gurrola Ramirez, in December, left the command of the Sierra Madre task force, in Badiraguato, Sinaloa, to take command of the 8th Military zone in Reynosa, Tamaulipas.

Gurrola left the cradle of narco trafficking, where he had a controversial presence in command of his troops accused of shooting a beauty queen, to reach one of the most explosive cities in the country.

One afternoon in 1997 , Colonel Pedro Felipe Gurrola Ramirez arrived at the office of the Secretary of National Defense, General Enrique Cervantes Aguirre. Colonel Gurrola served that year as Deputy Secretary of the head of Sedena, and hours earlier had fruitlessly tried to get a message to his boss.

Hours later Cervantes Aguirre gave him a call to find out what he wanted that morning. Gurrola said that his brother, also a Colonel, came to his office to tell him about his friend who was in Military Intelligence, Colonel Pablo Castellanos Garcia , had some confidential documents in his office at the Defense College, which was a file relating to an individual identified as " Pedro " who was under investigation, Gurrola said his brother had the file because he wanted to know what its contents were.


They were not investigating it , but the fact that those intelligence reports with information reserved on the drug trafficking in the country , were out of the office of the Secretary of Defense itself constituted a leak of information.

Monday, January 26, 2015

abducted Veracruz journalist found dead, the 11th during Duarte administration

by Lucio R.
                                   Veracruz Journalists murdered during Javier Durate governorship

Mayor ordered his death, former police confesses to the killing 

Moises Sanchez was a Veracruz journalist who reported on corruption and organized crime for the newspaper La Union. On the second day of the New Year, gunmen invaded his home and abducted the reporter.

His body was found on Saturday in the municipality of Medellin de Bravo, there were signs of severe torture.

On Sunday, the attorney general of Veracruz, Angel Luis Bravo, reported  the capture of Clemente NoĂ© RodrĂ­guez, a former municipal police, who said the murder was "commissioned" by  Medellin mayor Omar Cruz Reyes.  The confessed murderer revealed Sanchez was killed the same day as his abduction.

Although the PGR agency reported a "positive" identification, those results were based on fingerprint comparison.  Sanchez' son, Jorge Sánchez, mistrusts those results because of the poor condition of the body.  The body had been decomposing for 22 days when discovered.    The PGR agency has ordered DNA studies.

Because the mayor has immunity from prosecution, he has not been arrested.  A legal process is being conducted to impeach  annul  immunity.  The same process was conducted in the case of Mayor Jose Abarca of Iguala.  It was during that time that Abarca and his family fled.  

Since 2010 eleven Veracruz journalists have been murdered

From the date in 2010 when  Javier Duarte de Ochoa took office as governor of Veracruz, there have been 11 journalists murdered.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Gun battles leave 6 dead and 11 injured in Tamaulipas

Translated for Borderland Beat from a Proceso article by Otis B Fly-Wheel
Marine elements in Tamaulipas

Six dead and 11 injured , the product of two confrontations between presumed sicarios and elements of State Forces in Tamaulipas. According to information supplied by the Group for Coordination , said one of the victims was a State Policeman , also two of the injured. The most recent gun battle occurred this past Wednesday 21st January in the town of Los Guerra de Miguel Aleman.
Police who were traveling on a operation were attacked by armed civilians at approximately 3.45 pm at the intersection of  calle Industry of street construction , with El Nogalito in the Colonia Infoanvit Industrial.

State Policeman Jorge Armando Romero Rodriguez ,  lost his life in the attack and another two of his colleagues were injured but not life threatening. Also injured were three presumed members of a delinquent group, who were identified as Jose Cordero Ramirez, 19 years of age , originally from Reynosa , also two brothers Jose Luis and Ulises Villeda Cruz, 25 and 30 years of age respectively , and originally from Guadalupe , Nuevo Leon.

No Forced Disappearance Charges in Mexico's Ayotzinapa Case

Relatives hold up posters of the 43 missing students of the Ayotzinapa Teacher Training College during a protest outside the federal court in Chilpancingo | Photo: Reuters

Borderland Beat posted by DD Republished  from material in  Telesur , laJornada

A Mexican judge has said that there are no evidence to charge the detainees with the forced disappearance of the 43 missing students.

 Vidulfo Rosales, a human rights lawyer representing the families of the 43 Mexican students who went missing after being attacked by police in southern Mexico in September, said Saturday that Mexico’s Attorney General (PGR) will not be placing charges of forced disappearance on the suspects in the case of the missing students.

Detainees, which number some 90 so far, will still face charges of kidnapping and murder, after a judge considered that there is no evidence to place charges of forced disappearance.

 DD. note;  A "forced disappearance" differs from a "kidnapping" in that it involves state action (involvement of a state official). Kidnapping is generally considered as a person taken and held for ransom.  If an agent of the state is involved in a forced disappearance or torture the State as a whole, not just the agent is responsible under international law.  It is a crime against humanity, or human rights and the state could be held in violation of several international laws and treaties and subject to sanctions by the UN.  IMO that is why PGR and the Judge are going out of their way to avoid charging and convicting the detainees for the crime of "forced disappearance".

Guerreros Unidos and Los Rojos conflict-Scientists reject account of students incineration at dump

written by Lucio for Borderland Beat
As the government is pushed for new evidence, they want  the public to know, there has been an apprehension of another bad guy in connection with the normalistas case. 

In this post is a breakdown of details and back story of both police attacks on normalistas, just hours apart on September 26th 2014.  The fact that there were two deadly attacks by police, on September 26th, not one, is news to most people, see details of each attack. (Lucio)

Officials said Friday that they had detained a ”leader of the Guerreros Unidos”  criminal group that prosecutors believe killed 43 college students, then burned their bodies in a case that began about four months ago.

The arrest of Felipe RodrĂ­guez Salgado, who is being detained and “questioned”, last Friday.

Government officials are hoping the suspect may add details to the theory that the authorities have outlined.

Prosecutors say that the municipal police of Iguala, in the state of Guerrero, had detained  the students and then passed their custody  to the Guerreros Unidos.  Allegedly, this action,  was  ordered by the city’s mayor, JosĂ© Luis Abarca.  Former Mayor Abarca and his wife, MarĂ­a de los Angeles Pineda Villa, are believed to be closely linked to Guerreros Unidos.

Protesters in support of the students are still very active, marching in Mexico City last  Friday carrying images of the 43 college students from Iguala who are missing and presumed dead.
                            The majority of those in the image above are the family of Maria, the mayor's wife

The government is being pressed to provide additional information, or freshly discovered details.     

Simply put, the parents of the missing normalistas trust nothing emergent from the government, and have directly informed President Peña, they reject the theory of the government.  They have resolved to not rest, until they are given straight answers with credible, supporting, evidence.

They are unrelenting. 

And this time, it is unlike the years before 2014.

The people of Guerrero, whose pleas to federal administrations of today and yesteryear for protection against organized crime, for years have been ignored,  but this time, they now have the attention of the world.


Arturo Beltran Leyva, Los Rojos,  and Guerreros Unidos 

The disappearance of 43 students from the normal Ayotzinapa college,  exposed the violent dispute between two criminal groups in Guerrero,  "Los Rojos" and "Guerreros Unidos” (G.U.)

Both groups were a part of and under the direction of  Arturo Beltran Leyva "El Barbas".  After Arturo’s fall  in 2009, the groups previously under his control is fragmented and began the struggle for control of drug trafficking routes other criminal activities. 

"Los Rojos" The criminal organization was created in 2011 and operates in the State of Mexico, Morelos and Guerrero. "Los Rojos" criminal actions include, extortion, kidnapping and drug production in the mountains of Guerrero.
 warning***graphic image on next page

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Castillo: "Mireles intended to take control of the country..."

Proceso (1-23-15) (www.proceso.com.mx/?p=393907)
Translated by un vato for Borderland Beat

Castillo testifies in the Mexican House of Representatives

MEXICO, D.F. (proceso.com.mx)..-- The former commissioner for the Security and Integral Development of Michoacan Alfredo Castillo declared that the former member of the Council of Self Defense Forces of Michoacan (Autodefensas), Jose Manuel Mireles, intended to take control of the entire country and after that, of Latin America.

Castillo insinuated that Mireles was left mentally impaired (trastornado): "I don't know whether the accident affected him". He also stated that the former spokesman for the Council of Self Defense Forces of Michoacan began to act on his own, without consulting with authorities.

In January of last year, Mireles suffered an airplane accident when he was traveling to El Zicuiran municipality. He was treated afterwards for craneoencephalic trauma. Currently, he is confined in the Tepic, Nayarit, penitentiary. 

In an interview with MVS News (MVS Noticias), Castillo denied he had plans to become the National Attorney General ("Fiscal"), but, he added, "I will do whatever the President of the Republic orders".

However, Castillo said he would prefer to take time off, since he has a one year and two months old daughter "that I want to care for, and she does not know me, I would like to recover time lost".

Castillo defended his performance during the year he was special commissioner: "I see a totally different Michoacan; it depends on the crystal you look through".

Yesterday, Secretary of the Interior (SEGOB), Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, announced that he had decided to remove Castillo from his position. He argued that the opposition had asked for removal of the official so that the upcoming elections would not be affected.

Although this video is in Spanish,  if you have followed the Michoacan crisis, you will not need translation. 

The detentions of " El Chapo " and " Mayito Gordo " , have had no effect on CDS


Translated for Borderland Beat from a Campeche 3.0 article by Otis B Fly-Wheel

The operations of the Sinaloa Cartel and the mountains of drugs they traffic has not been seen to be affected by the detention of certain leaders, including " El Chapo " , according to the chief of administration of the DEA in Arizona.

We have not observed any significant change in the Sinaloa Cartel. We continue observing the same modus operandi before the capture of " El Chapo ", the same control of operations , the same people in charge of the trafficking of drugs destined for the USA and territorial control in Mexico explained Laurita in an interview for Proceso.

This is pain for the Government of Enrique Pena Nieto , who promulgated the idea that said criminal organisation would be destabilised because of the detention of Guzman on 22nd February 2014, and of Ismael Zambada , " El Mayito Gordo " son of " El Mayo " Zambada this past November.

El Chapo launches new Amparo against extradition to USA


Translated for Borderland Beat from a Zetatijuana article by Otis B Fly-Wheel

Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera " El Chapo "
The Judge of the tenth District of Amparo in criminal matters for the Federal District accepted the jurisdiction to hear a guarantee trial promoted by the drug lord , Joaquin " El Chapo " Guzman Loera against his extradition to the United States of America.

The original demand was presented by the Attorneys of the ex leader of the Sinaloa cartel , before the Judge of the 16th district in Administrative Matters of the capital city of the country on Tuesday 20th of January, however the Court has declared itself incompetent to hear the matter which is of a criminal nature.

The written notes as an act , called for the Secretary of Foreign Affairs , among other authorities, trying to extradite " El Chapo " from the Federal Centre for Social Rehabilitation number one " Altiplano" in the Municipality of Almaoloya de Juarez, State of Mexico, to a different place that is internal and available to different district judges, and from there out of the country towards the United States of America via Mexico Federal District or another border, without the possibility to try something in his favour, pursuant to an order that we know has been turned to such effect.

The Amparo petition was promoted a few hours after the Attorney General of the Republic, Jesus Murillo Karam, expressed that no formal application for extradition had been received for the Sinaloan Capo, but they were very sure it would be very soon that the application would arrive.

 Another constitutional lawsuit brought by " El Chapo " last November to the Eleventh District Amparo Court was dismissed, in the absence of the claimed request for extradition , deportation or expulsion from the country.

Original article in Spanish at Zetatijuana

Friday, January 23, 2015

Member of Los Cabrera Arrested/Banner Threatens Police Associated with Them


 Bocanegra Llanes Arrested

On Tuesday, January 20, the National Commission of Security (CNS) announced that the Federal Police had arrested Pedro Eduardo Bocanegra Llanes in GĂłmez Palacio, Durango, a city in the Comarca Lagunera (a metropolitan region which also includes Ciudad Lerdo, as well as eight other municipalities of Durango and five municipalities in neighboring Coahuila, including TorreĂłn). 

Bocanegra Llanes was driving a gray 2009 Dodge Nitro SUV on Miguel Alemán boulevard in GĂłmez Palacio and was noticed by the Federal Police as he was driving above the speed limit.  Ignoring orders to pull over, he attempted to escape, but was stopped on Praga street of the El Campestre colonia when other police vehicles managed to completely block off the route.

Upon his capture, he offered the officers his vehicle and 50,000 pesos in exchange for being let go.  An AK-47, an ammunition clip, 10 rounds of ammunition, two bullet proof vests, and 25 bags of marijuana were confiscated during his arrest.

Officials describe him as a member of Los Cabarera: "leader of hitmen of the criminal organization, as well as serving as the person responsible for the plaza in GĂłmez Palacio".

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Seido target hitmen in BCS part 4 the executions of " El Cochi "

Translated for Borderland Beat from a Zetatijuana article by Otis B Fly-Wheel

After the capture of Victor Barraza Martinez " El Victor " or " El Vidal " , and Juan Martinez Rosas " El Furby" , with "El Grande " fleeing , SEIDO now have Raul Castillo de la Rosa responsible for many 2015 assassinations , firmly in their cross hairs.


Like every day , the youngster Fabian , left to walk to school at seven in the morning of Tuesday the 13th of January 2015 , his house is located in Callejon de Acceso between Manuel Torres Iglesias and Regidores in the colonia of Lazaro Cardenas La Paz.
The youngster of 14 years of age , was walking down a dirt road , when he passed the side of an old pickup , loaded with trash and branches , he saw in the distance a ball that was thrown from an apartment , span across the floor and across the street in front of a house opposite , that was colored in brown and red stripes.
“ It was a human head , he told his mother via his cell phone , and left the scene running , he came across a lady , “ Emma Isabel Osuna Mancillas near his primary school and he asked her for help.

Mexico Interior Department (Segob) announces Castillo's departure

Proceso (1-22-14) Translated by un vato for Borderland Beat (proceso.com.mx/?p=393829)


Se va Castillo


(Update: In my earlier translation I erroneously said that Castillo's departure was not  related to the upcoming elections. The actual story quoted Osorio Chong to the effect that the removal of Castillo was related to the upcoming elections. I apologize for the error. Some comments to the story have already given us some interesting information on General Felipe Gurrola Ramirez, his replacement. I apologize for the mistake. --un vato)

MEXICO, D.F. (proceso.com.mx).-- Mexico's Secretary of Governance (Segob), Miguel Osorio Chong, announced that Alfredo Castillo will leave his post as head of the Commission for Security and Integral Development of Michoacan.

"Today, we can say that the situation in which Michoacan finds itself is different..this does not mean that everything is resolved", said the Secretary of Governance during the evaluation of the Plan Michoacan.

Osorio Chong praised the performance of Alfredo Castillo in Michoacan and added: "Today this great state is stronger than it was a year ago".

The government official argued that this decision is related to the beginning of the election process.

Alfredo Castillo was appointed head of the Commission for the Security and Integral Development of Michoacan this past year on January 15. He's a member of Pena Nieto's inner circle; he served as Attorney General for the State of Mexico during the Baby Paulette scandal.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Drone carrying 6 pounds of meth, falls in Tijuana

Unmanned aircraft, (Drone) falls in Zona Rio

For the last year or so, drones, unmanned aircraft, have crept into our lives.  Drones are routinely spotted on beaches, over sporting events and suburban neighborhoods. At a party or gala event, it is not unusual to glance up and see the somewhat eerie sight of a remote device, recording all the unaware people below.

Though in the midst of a legal battle at the Federal level,  many unmanned aircraft related businesses have emerged locally, as well as nationally.  In real estate, journalism, marketing and other fields, drones are being used commercially.  For recreation, those who can afford one, use it as a hobby, navigating the beaches and scenic areas of the city, captu
ring images and uploading to social media sites.

Vice News; The Executioners: What the Government Hasn’t Revealed About the Mexico Student Massacre

Borderland Beat posted by DD republished from Vice News
DD; This story does not contain a lot of new information that has not been published on BB previously, but it brings together in one story much of what we have posted in stories as they were happening.  I am also posting it because of my belief that it is important to keep what happened in Iquala in the forefront of international attention. 

There are still many unanswered questions about a Friday night last September when at least 43 students disappeared after coming under attack in the Mexican city of Iguala. One of the most basic is, Why?

Shootout in Piedras Negras, Coahuila Leaves 5 Presumed Zetas Dead


On Monday, January 19, a shootout occurred in southern Piedras Negras, Coahuila, between
presumed members of Los Zetas and forces of the Group of Specialized Arms and Tactics (in Spanish: Grupo de Armas y Tácticas Especiales, abbreviated as GATE).

It began at 6:20 PM on the LĂłpez Portillo beltway (which doubles as Highway 2 to Nuevo Laredo), in the Luis Donaldo Colosio colonia, when members of the GATE, conducting a routine patrol, observed two suspicious vehicles (a maroon Ford Explorer with a Coahuila license plate and green Kia Spectra with a Texas license plate) and attempted to pull them over.

Instead of stopping, they turned off of the beltway and soon the shootout began on Diana Laura Riojas street.  A red alert was called and forces from Sedena, PGR, Piedras Municipal Police, Nava Municipal Police, Federal Police, and Marina arrived to reinforce the GATE patrol.

cartel maps spanning five years including 2015

Lucio republished from Stratfor Intelligence


Above is the latest offering from Stratfor, they present its cartel map of 2015 [also 2015 information in video at bottom]  For a comparative, included in this post are previous Stratfor Cartel Maps spanning the last five years. To enlarge the map, set cursor on image and click.

2011

2012

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

New Narco Manta says CDG are active in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon

Translated for Borderland Beat from a Proceso article by Otis B Fly-Wheel

Monterrey: the tranquility in the metropolitan zone was altered this morning because of a series of mantas with narco trafficker messages.

Various narco mantas were placed on pedestrian bridges, were signed by the Cartel del Golfo and indicate that the Monterrey plaza is theirs, that they don't want to fight the government and that the CDG are still active.

The mantas with warnings were deployed about 6:00 am in the avenue Garza Salda on the cross-roads of the avenue del Estado, another was placed in the avenue Lazaro Cardenas, and one more close to the avenue Alfonso Reyes.

According to non confirmed sources there were also mantas placed at Puente de Papa around the river Santa Catarina, in the central zone of the capital.

Minutes after being deployed, elements of the state police arrived and took them all down.

Tamaulipas, years and years of the same old filth


Translated for Borderland Beat by Otis B Fly-Wheel from a Sinembargo article


Tamaulipas , years and years of the same filth.


By Sandra Rodriguez Nieto
The kidnapping of a moderator of social network , her body bloodied appeared in a photo , in her twitter account, this put Tamaulipas under the gaze of the world again. Remembering that in this place 15 years ago the Zetas formed from Military deserters. No government strategy has put the brakes on the growth of the organisation., the corruption , the violence , the insecurity , and the impunity that converts this territory into the first without Law in Mexico.
In the year 2014 , in this frontier entity , is in first place for National Statistics on Kidnapping , more than half of which end in culpable homicides, including the three young Americans , who were allegedly kidnapped by the bodyguards of a mayor.
The strategy for the security of Tamaulipas ,a spear thrust in May past, for the Federal Government, they responded by killing one of the new managers. They cleanse the police, said the Human Rights Activist the Tamaulipan Raymondo Ramos, but when are they going to cleanse the government? Governments come and governments go , but Tamaulipas stays the same , years and years of decomposition and years and years of the same filth.


Monday, January 19, 2015

Police intent on extortion and kidnapping

Translated for Borderland Beat from a Zetatijuana Special Report by Otis B Fly-Wheel

In a confusing incident , a group of residents of the Valle de Mexicali , affirmed that they had been kidnapped by Municipal Police , and that they escaped and evaded paying the 30 thousand dollar ransom demand. Meanwhile the authorities are investigating a dozen Municipal Police men assigned to this zone.


Between the common land of Durango and El Carranza ,on a road with winding curves , there is a small drain heading to the south , here there is a fork and you take the dirt road for about 3 miles. This then forks and continues eastward until you reach a settlement known as " Rancho El Caiman " , in the middle of the valley of Mexicali.

After the fence painted blue green , a screen door on the porch of a house , in the background are corrales from which emanates the sound of roosters , chickens, goats , pigs and sheep

Until on the morning of Sunday 4th of January, five Municipal Police patrol cars pulled up , there on the porch of the house were three men , who had joined two others , Jorge Luis Sanchez Perez , 19 years old tells what happened next.

Bodyguard of Monterrey Mayor is Los Zetas kidnapper

Translated for Borderland Beat from a Proceso article by Otis B Fly-Wheel
Margarita Arellanos Cervantes
A body guard of Magarita Arellanos Cervantes the Mayor of Monterrey, front runner for the Governorship of Nuevo Leon, was arrested with three other Police men, by the Federal Police in Zapopan, Jalisco, as part of a band of kidnappers, informed local media sources.

According to the reports from the Municipal Police of Monterrey, Antonio Gonzalez Abad " El Mocho ", formed part of a band of Los Zetas, he commanded a gang involving agents Bernardino Bautista Arenas, El Bernie, Jesus Adrian Lara Rodriguez, El Gordo, and Abraham Hererra Encina.

The three police officers are currently fugitives.

The luxury narco ranch of los zetas in Coahuila

Translated for Borderland Beat from a Proceso article by Otis B Fly-Wheel

Heriberto Lazcano " the executioner "
The attorney general of the republic, (PGR )and Coahuila Authorities kept secret a luxurious ranch where Omar Trevino Morales alias Z42 operated is located near Cinco Manantiales 

(Note: Five Springs includes; Nava, Villa Union, Morelos, Zaragoza and Allende.  Allende  was the site of the Zeta's mass murder attack and destruction of dozens of homes and buildings).

From here he ordered the massacre that occurred in Piedras Negras in the north of the state, which commenced on the first few days of the year 2011.

The extensive ranch is located at kilometre 13 of the highway Villa Union - Guerrero. At this point there is a white gate that opens onto a 1 kilometre road. On the trail you can see a large radio antenna, hidden among the leafy trees that stands next to a small lake , that previously had crocodiles in but now appears dry.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Ala 'La Chucky', 'Don Neto' may spend the remainder of sentence at home

Posted by Lucio; main post from  El Debate posted by siskiyoukid with added material

As reported last week in the case of Ester Gordillo, aka 'La Chucky', Fonseca will likely leave prison in exchange for "house arrest".

The first Collegiate Court in criminal matters of the third circuit stated that Ernesto Rafael Fonseca Carrillo, alias Don Neto, is guilty of the crimes of kidnapping and homicide perpetrated against Enrique Camarena Salazar and Alfredo Zavala Avelar, which occurred in February 1985. 

The same court ordered the second unit of the Third Circuit Court to identify appropriate penalties now that they have decreed the guilt of the drug trafficker. 

In its resolution, the court also requested to “decide on an alternative of the imprisonment as a security measure" now that a unitary Court "by an accredited study had focused senility and the precarious state of health of Ernesto Rafael Fonseca Carrillo", the Council of the Federal judiciary reported on Friday. 

The first Collegiate Court requires in its judgment that Fonseca Carrillo is absolved of his other crimes, including: the crime of criminal association; smuggling to the national territory, collecting and carrying of firearms for the exclusive use of the army, Navy and air force national; and crimes against health, which is what they called the possession of marijuana for distribution, as well as the personal possession for the immediate use of the possessor. 


What's going on with Don Neto?


Because of an advanced age or age-related health conditions, offenders may be granted an alternative penalty, which seeks to provide the best quality of life to the prisoner. In this case, Don Neto would continue serving his sentence outside the prison, in a healthy environment [house arrest].

Profile of Enernesto 'Don Neto' Fonseca

Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo, born in 1942 in Badiraguato, Sinaloa and was head of the Guadalajara Cartel, along with Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo and Rafael Caro Quintero. 

Michoacan Judge frees 43 detained after Apatzingan Massacre

Translated for Borderland Beat from a Proceso article by Otis B Fly-Wheel


In what signifies another blow to the PGR , a Federal Judge in Michoacán granted liberty to 43 of the 44 people detained this past 6th January in Apatzingan Michoacan, after a confrontation between civilians and Federal Forces

Jorge Armando Wong , a Fifth District Judge , based in Uruapan , he issued the freedom to 38 of the defendants because the PGR had offered no evidence , that was a requirement of holding them , for trial , for the crime of possession of weapons for the exclusive use of the army.

He also issued formal prison to six of the arrested , however , five of those were released under parole,   and only one remained in prison.

Caro Quintero ratified as responsible for the death of Kiki Camarena

Translated for Borderland Beat from a Proceso article by Otis B Fly-Wheel

Rafael Caro Quintero
A year and two months after the First Chamber of the Supreme Court reversed the amparo that freed Rafael Caro Quintero , the first Collegiate Criminal Court of the Third Circuit, that the boss of narco trafficking in Mexico , in the decade of the eighties is criminally responsible for the kidnapping and killing of the agent from the DEA Enrique " kiki " Camarena and his driver Alfredo Salazar.

The Collegiate Tribunal also found responsible for the same crimes , Ernesto Rafael Fonesca Carillo " Don Neto " , founder with Caro and Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo the cartel of Guadalajara.