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

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Mexican Narcos Invest in Dubai

Translated by Yaqui for Borderland Beat from: Universal


Investigative Report June12, 2018
Check out: C4ADS

The luxurious city of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has become in recent years a den of international magnates enriched with criminal capital and sanctioned by the United States Treasury. 

Along with smugglers of nuclear material, sponsors of armed conflicts, kleptocrats, money launderers and financial terrorists also appears Mexican Hassein Eduardo Figueroa Gómez , a businessman from Jalisco who, along with his father, Ezio Benjamín Figueroa Vázquez, was identified as a drug trafficking ringleader by the Kingpin Act in 2012.

The Sandcastles-Tracing Sanctions Evasion Through Dubai's Luxury Real Estate Market report from the private firm Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS), located in Washington, to which Universal had access, Figueroa Gómez and Figueroa Vázquez  were accused by the US of trafficking tons of chemical precursors from Europe and sub-Saharan Africa to Mexico, to sell to  Mexican cartels to produce methamphetamines.
Ezio Benjamín Figueroa Vázquez was arrested in Mexico in 2011, while Hassein Eduardo Figueroa Gómez remains a fugitive; despite this, C4ADS points out, "it seems to have used Dubai as a base to continue its commercial activities", through transactions for at least $4.34 million dollars in luxury goods.
                                                         Dubai:  dirty money central

According to the report of the nonprofit analysis center, which specializes in transnational organized crime, weapons proliferation networks, "financial threats" and environmental crimes, all of its companies remained "active for years after being appointed" as leader of drug trafficking by the Department of the Treasury and are managed by two partners, Rodrigo Romero Mena and Leopoldo Ochoa Juraez or Juárez, the latter killed in Mexico in 2012.

Due to its weak regulatory framework, especially in the real estate sector: "Dubai has offered a way to the international financial system for illegitimate actors and illicit funds," says the document published today in different countries.

Evading detection:

For the researcher who coordinated the report, whose name remains in reserve, it is possible that Figueroa Gómez and other partners "are operating in Dubai and in other jurisdictions where their presence or participation is less expected, which allows them to evade detection."

Although the Mexican government has not focused on the Middle East, it notes that "the Figueroa case could serve as a starting point," which is why it recommends identifying the connections and, in the case of Dubai, establishing cooperation with the UAE. Among the nations of origin of the criminals who choose as Dubai base, he said, are Mexico, Pakistan, Lebanon, Syria and Iran.


In the chapter on Mexico, it is detailed that Figueroa Gómez, accused in the US of drug trafficking and conspiracy to launder money, owns at least three properties in Dubai with a value of  $1.1 million dollars,  $2.57 million dollars and $667,000 USD; the most expensive corresponds to a penthouse.

 It would also have at least seven companies, three with domicile in the UAE and four in Cyprus that would not have been investigated by the Treasury Department, unlike the 16 companies located in Jalisco and Panama with which Figueroa Gómez and his father were identified by the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Law).

The Emirati companies are dedicated to the trade, investment and sale of methamfetamines products:

 Mexico Lindo Trading (registered in 2006), Maestro Investment, Sona Valley (2008) and Diamonds (2008), which implies that they were established before they will be sanctioned by the EU and that they operated at least between 2014 and 2016.

In the case of Cyprus, Figueroa Gómez has also been the owner and operator of companies, registered as Ergonas Trading Limited, Forcata Holdings Limited Rio Timto Ltd and Greenfield Studio Limited, which continues to operate, although it could be disbanded due to recent inactivity that has registered . 100% of its shares are owned by the Mexican, which in most other companies is the largest shareholder.

Commerce in general:

The niches of the four companies are commerce in general, investment, construction and real estate; the investigation points out that the pattern is similar to that found in the United Arab Emirates, since "they were incorporated before the appointment of Figueroa Gómez in April 2012; however, they continued to operate several years later. "

The report concludes that Figueroa Gómez "seems to have carried out multiple commercial operations of companies in Dubai and has invested approximately $4.34 million dollars in properties. All of its companies - three in the UAE and four in Cyprus - continued to be included in the corresponding corporate records after their designation in the US. At least one is still active today. "

In the seven companies appear two main business partners: Rodrigo Romero Mena and Leopoldo Ochoa Juraez or Juárez. The second, linked to three of the seven companies, was murdered at 36 years of age in 2012 in our country and was linked to Mexican cartels. 

Even the singer Gerardo Ortiz dedicated a song to him, in which he talks about "closing agreements with the princes" and "flying in a private plane in the Middle East."

Both were co-owners or co-directors of all the companies with Figueroa Gómez and their percentage of shares was similar. Romero Mena is a shareholder in six and is also director of a firm located in Canada, registered in 2016. He also owns a penthouse in Dubai, in the luxurious Pentominium tower, whose cost is not currently valued. "Apparently he is a long-time associate of Figueroa Gómez, with whom he has worked before and after his appointment," says the report.


Dubai, the largest city in the United Arab Emirates, in the Persian Gulf, is chosen by billionaires from different parts of the world to settle or invest because it is "a particularly favorable destination" for funds of illicit origin, especially in the real estate, where controls are relaxed.

Nuclear proliferation:

In addition to Figueroa Gómez, C4ADS also points to Wael Abdulkarim and Ahmad Barqawi for financing conflicts in Syria; to Kambiz Mahmoud Rostamian and Hossein Pournaghshband for nuclear proliferation in Iran; Altaf Khanani for financial terrorism in Pakistan; to Kamel and Issam Amhaz in Lebanon, also for financial terrorism, and to Rami Makhlouf for corruption in Syria.

He stresses that despite the fact that the authorities have taken action, the response of the UAE to confront this criminal activity is still "limited". "The weakness of the regulatory system can strengthen and empower a variety of global illicit actors," he insists.

All these people, sanctioned by the US Treasury, add properties for at least $28.2 million dollars and others more involved in business for $78.8 million dollars. 

According to C4ADS, the three coincidences they have are:  their assets are directly linked to sanctions imposed by the Kingpin Law; They have corporate networks with ties in Dubai and branches in Mexico, Romania, Syria, Hong Kong, Lebanon and the British Virgin Islands, and finally, they use third party networks through family members, lawyers and business partners.

44 comments:

  1. Mencho is more prestigious than we ALL thought..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. polo ochoa was cds

      Delete
    2. 8:58 he might have been but the rest are tied to cjng not to mention that there is many that were cds at one point but switched to cjng..

      Delete
    3. 6:18 Chapo Mayo RCQ have major legit businesses all around the world under their families names menso is a new comer and way behind regardless of the bs reports media outlets who favor PRI interests

      Delete
    4. 10 :55 los cuinis Valencia have been around in the game longer than you think. Try learning about cjng before you jump to conclusions and post stupidity. you sinaloa groupies always talk out your nalgas

      Delete
    5. He’s right pluma blanca was CDS. Heard his own people took him down.

      Delete
  2. So this goes deeper than the Chinese or French Connection.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow Arabs, getting rich in the drug trade, a look how easy it was to get Arabic names, changed to Latino names Gomez instead of Mohammad.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What better way to invest in a country that has not much financial regulation.
      Although many front companies are just that ( a means for their continuous oparations) not much can be done. Different rules which apply like many financial institutions overseas.
      Furthermore,the Arab world has been involved in drug trafficking some time.
      Some areas the Big Dogs of certain products. Raking in hundreds of millions.
      Wouldn't be surprised in the investments of the building boom in that country.

      E42

      Delete
    2. Remember the saudi (?) Prince who got caught with a plane full of coke in france like 5 years ago?? He was released for some reason and fled back to saudi arabia....that story went away real quick

      Delete
    3. 3:15 the Saudis paid 3 billion dollars to France to supply Lebanese (I believe) defense department with weapons "for self defense", it was suspicious until we saw the raise of ISIS AND THEIR QUICK TERRITORIAL CONQUESTS, NOT AT ALL THEIR NORMAL TERRORISM...
      --IN Mexico the US also had their operation Mayan Jaguar that let 2 Air America CIA planes loaded with 10s of tons of cocaine get caught by mexican government and then gave Mexican government 3 billion USD a year to fight drug trafficking...
      --Of course, middlemen take their share first of all.

      Delete
  4. It is normally very difficult to change your name in Mexico. I suppose la mordida provides a way.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mencho just lost his money, ouch.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Los hijos del Chapo ya tienen muxo tiempo en Dubai. Tambien el Faraón.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can you please explain what you mean by El Faraoun. I know that it means the Pharoah, in Spanish, hope I spelled it right. But, is this someone's APODO? Or are you referring to Egypt?

      Delete
    2. Chapitos won't last, their uncle so guano will kill them off

      Delete
    3. Now we know where the pointy boots came from, remember the musical groups and the dancers with 20 inch long shoe tip?
      But other Mexican musicians had been going to play for a lot of Arab Dignitaries before.

      Delete
  7. Mr POLO OCHOA was big. He was well connected a shit load of $$. He was a broker in the cartel for guys like AZUL,CHAPO,MAYO,NACHO. Was moving cocaine & $$$.. From a couple of tons cocaine he set up and deals. Mayo & Chapo owe him couple of millions dollars they said it was closed $50 millions. That where he fuck up. He let the debt go so high from MAYO was more then 30 mil chapo was more the 20. When he starting asking for the $$$. They gave $4 mil payment. When he return he to culiacan. He had 2 body guards the guy thay was next to him was my cousin ramon and jose in a jeep following them. Polo dint see it comming. Mayo gave the green light to chapo. Chapo toLD ivan. Polo and his 2 body guards where carring 5.7 pistol dint even touch them. 5 tacomas with with 20 plus men spray them with ak and ar. Someone polo side was offering 20 mil for his killers idk if offer still standing. El hiPPIE

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You right about that one great contribution 👍🏻...10

      Delete
    2. Daaam whats the name of the movie..... lol

      Delete
    3. Polo era muy querido en culiacan y quien Lo mando matar fue el chapo porque le debia muchisimo dinero dicen que 120 millones de los verdes. Era el padre de los chaputos El unico que le llegaba era El mayo que porcierto tambien le debia un chingo de feria pero quien dio la luz Verde fue el chapo. Y por esa traicion al chapo le mataron a muchos de sus familiares incluyendo a dos hijos del guano que levantaron en los sitios badiraguato.

      Delete
    4. Yup.. this is the truth.. the viejones owed Polo lots of money and he had threatened to stop fronting them money.. el azulito is still pissed over this... Even el Chino (mayos people) couldn't believe this was green lighted... El Chino stopped giving a fuck and went all out on his IG cause he knew that at any given time the viejones were going to turn on him just like they turned on theor gold mine...

      Delete
    5. Nah it’s true Polo Ochoa aka Pluma Blanca was lit up like a Christmas tree in culiacan, I did heard it was chapos people but I never knew the reason behind it.

      Delete
    6. El hippie must 🚬 alot 🌿. But he is right he was 🔫 down in dec 2012 culiacan. Alot people could not believe it when it happen. El pluma blanca is still miss in culiacan. The karma got most of his killers. He was a gold mine 💰 💰 💰💸💸💸🔌

      Delete
  8. This is nothing new Sinaloa Drug Barons own hundreds of propertys all around the world here in Russia some of them are socios of the FiFA world cup I even heard that the chapitos are in Russia to see the World Cup Crazy huh they are the especial guest

    ReplyDelete
  9. dubai the first three letters dub can stand for either dub sack or the letters backwords bud for marijuana people can use poison from plants to kill people or there medication people do get high off there medication what i wanted to say is i see you watching me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 2:10 The three first letters of Dubt
      make me think you may be worng.

      Delete
    2. Wtf are you talking about??

      Delete
  10. According to Diario de Juarez article recently CDS has negotiations in 21 countries worldwide followed by Jaliscas around the same amount then Zetas/Golfas with 13 countries then Juarez cartel with 5 countries then Tijuana with two only.
    It is not necessarily the reach a cartel has that makes it powerful for Juarez cartel follows CDS and Jalisco in wealth now with it's reach not Golfos or Zetas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't be spreading misinformation! Cjng has more 💰 than cds and also more connected.. At least from what I read but I guess people can assume since nobody knows for sure

      Delete
  11. They will get theres

    ReplyDelete
  12. You talk too much el hippie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 5:25 you are wrong.
      El Highpie deserves his paper and crayons, you Don't

      Delete
  13. So how can they hide and invest millions in Dubai if the person who wrote this article knows all about it you don't think the USA government does too? Sooner or later the USA will seize everything. The narcs may have third parties as business partners, family and lawyers but the USA has under cover agents, informants, lawyers and unending sources of income. The criminals may think they are smart but the USA has been playing their game way longer and they know what's going on all the time. Just a cat and mouse game is all it is. A game of Monopoly so to speak.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How long have you been retired from the police force brother?

      Delete
    2. Even nationalist space cadets with bone spurs keep their money offshored, the US be damned!
      MAKE A GRANT AGAIN to my bank accounts it is needed for charity (MAGA)

      Delete
  14. A lot of folks from Arab countries are in Chicago. A lot of Mexicans are in Chicago. Maybe the right ones met and and here we are today.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are a lot of mexicans on the Alaska and north pole, but they are not seen because they don't have taco truck permits yet, also doing business for middle east OIL comes with a prize, refugees and immigrants, all legal...

      Delete
  15. 7:26 - I was thinking the same thing.

    Phelpso

    ReplyDelete
  16. The cartels are scared to buy mega mansions in US. The government will seize everything there and put you in solitary so long you'll lose your sanity. ex. el chapo will never escape the american's unless its in a casket the CIA and DEA were the one's who helped track down el chapo and it didn't take them long with the technology they use all the cell phone satellites are owned by the american cia

    ReplyDelete
  17. 7:26 logistics centers do not own the products or merchandise they handle, they just get fees, that is all mexico is.
    Of course the maruchan lobby does side jobs for their share of shit, but never what the real "Señores Del Narco" do, like doing their drug trafficking from behind the ample wide government skirts with good paying jobs while trafficking drugs to amass big fortunes offshore overseas. Just last year the Con Don "sold a out 350 billion dollars of weapons to the Saudis for a 150 million dollars commission "to ivanka's charities" while jared demands $500 000 000.00 INVESTMENT from "Terrorist State Qatar" for his financial boondoggle at 666 5th in New York...
    --Mexican crooks may go investing around the world,
    --American crooks go extorting all over the world.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Less we forget, the chinese like the mexican "job stealers" are just the puppet slave labor camps of the US offshorers that OWN the US government subsidized Offshoring Corporations the Con Don is trying to extort with fake made up tariffs and currency manipulations disguised as charity contributions, emoluments, investments, and for profit "not-for-profits".

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thanks Yaqui: great article , that even if 1/2 true is enlightening. The world is not like CNN or FOX describes.
    I feel so sorry for USA voters who think Biden, Congress, and other governmental entities (FBI, especially) are honest and not corrupted by narco-money.... With Hunter Biden in the mix of things...Huuum,?
    And how about no control of fentanyl or the USA -Mexico border? People are happily dying all over the USA as Fentanyl zombies and nothing is being done (except window dressing)? Huuum.
    Mexico Watcher

    ReplyDelete

Comments are moderated, refer to policy for more information.
Envía fotos, vídeos, notas, enlaces o información
Todo 100% Anónimo;

borderlandbeat@gmail.com