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

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Mexican Government Freezes 18 Bank Accounts Linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and Rafael Caro Quintero

"MX" for Borderland Beat
Rafeal Caro Quintero and his family, who are also involved in money laundering 
Mexico's Financial Investigation Unit (UIF) froze 18 bank accounts linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and Rafael Caro Quintero. This decision was made after investigators discovered unusual activity in the accounts and proceeded to do an investigation. Upon discovering organized crime ties, they froze all of the accounts. 

Of the 18 bank accounts, 9 of them were personal bank accounts linked to various Sinaloa Cartel members and 5 were business accounts. These companies offered services in consulting, publicity, construction, jewelry and film and entertainment in Sinaloa and Jalisco The additional 4 bank accounts were owned or controlled by Rafael Caro Quintero.

Details
The 14 bank accounts tied to the Sinaloa Cartel were identified with the help of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The 5 business accounts laundered approximately MXN$2 billion (US$82.2 million). These businesses offered services in consulting, publicity, construction, jewelry and and movie entertainment in Sinaloa and Jalisco.

Investigators were able to identify the first bank account after a Sinaloa Cartel operator received a sum of money from his wife through one of the five business accounts based in Jalisco. That business account issued 58 checks totaling MXN$12.7 million (US$521K). One of the company's shareholders is a legal representative of over a dozen other businesses that have reported money withdrawals totaling MXN$497 million (US$20.4 million).

Two more unnamed Sinaloa Cartel members used a company to purchase four properties in Culiacan, Sinaloa, for MXN$17.3 million (US$712K). They paid for them using corporate credit cards and appeared as the card's beneficiaries. However, they did not include this information in their personal tax report, which alerted authorities.


Logo of Mexico's Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF)
The DEA told Mexican officials that these two money launderers were also linked to a jewelry company that transferred funds to another one based in the U.S. state of Delaware. The transfers totaled MXN$10.4 million (US$428K).

The UIF also identified another Sinaloa Cartel member who owned multiple movie theaters in Culiacan. It was reported that his companies reported over MXN$884 million (US$36.4 million) in earnings and that they received MXN$456 million (US$18.7 million) in cash deposits. Through family members, this person created a construction firm that had cash withdrawals over MXN$100 million (US$4 million).

Background
These anti-money laundering actions are part of an initiative from the UIF to combat drug cartel financials. The UIF believes that such actions will disrupt the operations of the Sinaloa Cartel and limit its ability to pay its members and bribe government officials.

In 2019, the UIF froze nearly MXN$1 billion (US$41 million) in assets from various drug cartels in Mexico. At least 330 bank accounts owned or controlled by the Sinaloa Cartel were frozen last year.

Caro Quintero, the former leader of the Guadalajara Cartel, is wanted for the 1985 murder of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. In 2013, he was freed from a Mexican state jail on a legal technicality, but an arrest warrant was issued by federal authorities a few months after his release. If Caro Quintero is ever arrested in Mexico, officials say he will likely be extradited to the U.S. 

In the U.S., he is wanted for kidnapping and murder of a U.S. federal officer, as well as drug trafficking, money laundering and for leading a continuous criminal enterprise. The U.S. government is offering a US$20 million bounty for his capture.

Note: Multiple sources were used for this report. For better readability, the sources were linked in the body paragraphs above.

27 comments:

  1. His reputation and financial ambitions continue to exceed within the underworld. The accusations by US government upon his release is clear & evident here.
    One would think that with his notoriety in the drug trafficking business & monies reserved he would have retired.
    UNBELIEVABLE how much he continues to accumulate in revenue! Waiting to see if that money will remain frozen. Pretty sure those high profile government officials who will be affected will find a way to retrieve those assets.
    Glad to see the cooperation between Mexico and the US are having a positive impact fighting the war on drugs.
    Follow the money are what many have stated to combat these individuals.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You think they would raid these 4 properties in Culiacan. You never know who might be there. Stash houses probably.
      El Oj
      001

      Delete
    2. The us will somehow "seize" that money based on it was from drugs sent to the usa.
      Idk why mexico hasnt told them to fuck off yet- and keep it for thenselves- dirt ass corrupt PIGS

      Delete
    3. Follow the dope, you gonna get dope dealers and fiends; follow the money and lord knows where it’ll take you

      Lester Freemon

      Delete
  2. Corona virus got the U.S looking for MONEY, there it is.. Now how much will the capos pay to get it BACK?.. They will be defrosted pretty soon
    💰 talks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mijo the title says "Mexican government freezes accounts", and no USA is not looking for money during a crisis. And I never heard druglords getting refunds.
      But I am sure Lopez Obrador can pull some strings, since he gets along with Chapos mother. He will unfreeze when the smoke settles.

      Delete
    2. Your really smart i want to be just like you when i grow up Mister

      Delete
    3. @ 9:32
      Truly doubt that the Mexican government alone uncovered this infraction. The rampt up efforts and cooperation by US government are what led to this finding.
      Relying solely upon Mexican government officials would've not be made public. Rather, the discretion which Mexico is notoriously known for. Or to some; "collusion & bribery".

      Delete
    4. Yes Mijo you should check who did the freezing 😂.

      Delete
  3. Tunnel in TJ discovered

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1173526

    ReplyDelete
  4. Animo Señor R1

    Bien firmes con los Patrones de Culiacan Sinaloa.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ya vas a llorar por ello sicario?
      Lo que los patrones no hacen tu sufres por. Ya mejor diles que los amas y que no puedes vivir sin ellos y suenas con tenerlos a tu lado como lo punal que te escuchas diciendo tanta mamada.

      Delete
  5. They have better info on dea.gov about the tunnel and all the latest and greatest narco news

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. See ya! Don't let the door hit you in the azz on the way out.

      Delete
  6. Horrible way treat a older citizen, at least we know who in Charge Amlo loves and respect the Chapo families, first let's grandson Go, than kisses Grandma, thank you Amlo

    ReplyDelete
  7. Those don't seem like very detailed details. I'd didn't catch the dates between when and when these figures were taken? I saw that for 2019 a jewelry store made 400k in international transactions depending what kind of pieces were being bought or sold, that doesn't seem like an alarming amount. My Grandfather used to say,"behind every great fortune there's usually some crime". That doesn't mean that they are running illegitimate businesses today.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. so i checked the sources linked and it seems like that was all the info the mex government provided about the operation. im sure there is more but they might not to reveal as much so they can pocket the rest!

      Delete
  8. The title was right in a way because if the USA didn’t apply the pressure to the Mexican government nothing would happen to those accounts that have been Active for years already and they know that Don Rafas #1family members have been depositing money in them it always has made me really wonder what Don Rafa knows that even after doing all that time for something he didn’t do that the fear that they have is real wonder why? And by (they I men the agency that was responsible for Camarena death )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is the result of AMLO, not so much of the US.
      US provided intel on accounts but mx gob never moved so much but since AMLO they do. It would be great to see more pressure on US banks for violating the know your customer rule.
      It’s often just Blabla from US gob.

      Delete
  9. Rafas OG n pretty smart I'm sure he has millions still hidden

    ReplyDelete
  10. 6:23 the "agency" responsible for Camarena's kidnapping, torture and MURDER, is not being run by the same people, even those running it at the time were surprised by the actions of its "rogue agents", supposably acting on orders from above, the "agency" was involved by then in covering up all the crap.
    Tightening the screws on don rafail today looks like a scare tactic to scare up (extort) some support for todays' powers that be,

    ReplyDelete
  11. ok so Rafael Caro Quintero was in prison for 20 some years or so... but in the meantime he continued to run a giant money laundering empire through family and associates. how much of it do you all think is actually identified? less than 10%? i think so. i don't support these guys but he might be one of the smartest criminals ever. and at the end, he got away with it by walking out of jail. crazy. i hope he gets arrested and faces trial for Kiki's murder but doubt it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AlMO doing propaganda, they were frozen, once USA is not watching he will unfreeze them, because he is good friends with the Sinaloa Cartel.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Rafa is not hidding he is protected by amlo. He rides around while his guys steal peoples vehicles in Durango.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Rafa is the master. He is just dangling the carrot for these investigators while his billions are holding up the Mexican economy.

    ReplyDelete

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

borderlandbeat@gmail.com