In the US, Dámaso López, "El Mini Lic," pleads guilty to fentanyl trafficking

CHAR 

MAY 28, 2025

MILENIO NOTICIAS 

VIDEO TRANSLATION 

Well, in more information, a few hours ago, López Serrano reported that El Mini Lic pleaded guilty to fentanyl trafficking before a federal court in the United States. We're going with our colleague Ángel Hernández to connect with him so you can tell us more details. Angel, good afternoon, Héctor, and Cecilia. 

Good afternoon, indeed, López Serrano, who is the son of Damaso López Núñez, one of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán's most important operators in the Sinaloa cartel, has pleaded guilty for the second time in the United States, this time to fentanyl trafficking.

Remember, in 2018, he surrendered to US authorities after his father was arrested in Mexico and sent to the United States. He voluntarily surrendered and later pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. 

Shortly after, the FBI targets him. He fell into a trap. Through a confidential informant who trafficked fentanyl, the Federal Bureau of Investigation was able to detect that Damaso López Serrano was involved in fentanyl trafficking. He had negotiated with this FBI informant to send at least 4 kg of fentanyl from Mexico to California. 

This is the basis for this latest case. Everything allegedly occurred at the end of last year. Between September and December, this negotiation was made with FBI informants. Through these same informants, the FBI managed to seize this shipment of fentanyl before it reached Damaso López Serrano. In December, the FBI arrested him and one of his operators who assisted him in this negotiation. From this point on, he is charged with conspiracy to traffic fentanyl to the United States. Today, in the Eastern District Court of Virginia, he formally pleaded guilty in a plea agreement. Regarding his guilty plea, he is expected to be sentenced on September 5th of this year. We'll see what happens. For this man, it's important to point him out again for the second time. He pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in the United States. He was free after spending five years on parole. Hector, well, there are some of these negotiations that are taking place there in the courts of the United States and that are emerging. Step by step, Angel. That's correct. In fact, the interesting thing here is that Damaso López Serrano never formally trafficked pentanyl to the United States. It never reached his hands. The FBI was able to intercept him because he was an active trafficker in Mexico, but he is an informant for the US authorities. Of course, once he fell into the hands of the authorities, as he did in 2018, he reached a plea agreement, which will likely result in a sentence much lower than the maximum. 

He could face 20 years for conspiring to traffic fentanyl. Good afternoon, Angel. Thank you for the information you're sharing with us. We'll be on the lookout for any updates. Thank you, thank you for the space. Good afternoon.

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Historic Seizure! Omar Garcia Harfuch Reports 1,500 Kilos Of Fentanyl Seized In Sinaloa After Navy Special Forces Raid In Los Mochis And Guasave: Sinaloa

 "Char" for Borderland Beat 

This information was posted by LOS NOTICIERISTAS 

DECEMBER 3, 2024

GUASAVE, SIN.- According to the information shared by the federal official on his X account, in addition to the seizure of synthetic drugs, two men, whose identities have not been revealed, were also detained and firearms were also seized.

According to García Harfuch, who has been in Sinaloa since the afternoon of Tuesday, December 3, these actions will continue until the violence in the state of Sinaloa decreases. It is worth mentioning that, since Tuesday afternoon, operations by the military forces have been reported in Ahome, Juan José Ríos and Guasave, where they carried out operations in different communities.

In the urban area of Guasave, the raid on a house located next to the municipal boardwalk, near the elevated bridge, attracted attention.

The federal authorities have not revealed the identity of the detainees nor have they shared whether they belong to any specific cartel or criminal cell.

DECEMBER 3, 2024 

PICTURES PUBLISHED BY OMAR GARCIA HARFUCH ON X

SOURCE: LOS NOTICIERISTAS 

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Ken Salazar Admits U.S. Is “Part Of The Problem” Of Drug Use And Arms Trafficking

 "Char" for Borderland Beat 

This information was posted from PROCESO 

Leaving behind the scolding tone of last November 13, to which the Mexican government responded through a diplomatic note, Salazar echoed the letter that President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo sent to President-elect Donald Trump in response to his threat to impose tariffs.

WRITTEN BY: MATHIEU TOURLINE

MEXICO CITY (apro).- After the outspoken complaint regarding Mexico's security policy that he expressed two weeks ago, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, acknowledged today that drug consumption and arms trafficking from his country are “part of the problem”, which is why the governments on both sides of the border must address it “as partners”.

Leaving behind the scolding tone of last November 13, to which the Mexican government responded through a diplomatic note, Salazar echoed the letter that President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo sent to President-elect Donald Trump in response to his threat to impose tariffs when he takes office on January 20; the diplomat also qualified his criticism of the security strategy, stating that he said them “with great hope” that “the program that President Sheinbaum is developing” will work.

In a press conference held at the residence of the US Embassy, Salazar insisted on his agreement with the governments of Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, on migration issues, and emphasized that his government --that of Joe Biden-- continues to be committed to North America as a free trade zone.

Salazar repeated that Joe Biden's administration is “aligned” with the plans to invest in development projects in the South and Southeast of Mexico -he explicitly referred to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec-, as well as in the regions of origin of migrants, to address the roots of migration, and celebrated that he worked “very closely” with López Obrador on migration issues.

The diplomat, who stated two weeks ago that the strategy of “hugs not bullets” had failed, boasted that thanks to the joint work of both governments, the number of irregular migrant crossings between both countries fell by 65% to 75%.

SOURCE: PROCESO 

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'The Dead By Crime To Meet The Demand For Drugs In The U.S., We Put Them': Sheinbaum To Trump

 "Char" for Borderland Beat 

This information was posted from LOS NOTICIERISTAS

WRITTEN BY: TERY PEREZ 

11/26/2024

Mexico City - To kick off the 'morning' conference this Tuesday, November 26, Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo read a letter to be sent this day to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in response to his announcement to impose tariffs.

“I am writing to you, following your statement on Monday, November 25, on migration, fentanyl trafficking and tariffs,” the letter begins.

The federal president informs you 'in case you are not aware' that the Mexican government is developing a comprehensive policy of attention to migrants, and thanks to this, the migratory flow has been reduced by 75 percent between December 2023 and November 2024, according to CBP (U.S. Customs and Border Patrol) figures.

“By the way, half of those who arrive, it is through an appointment legally granted by the U.S. program called CBP One. For these reasons, caravans of migrants no longer arrive at the border. Even so, it is clear that we must arrive together at another model of labor mobility that is necessary for your country and of attention to the causes that lead families to leave their places of origin out of necessity,” reads the letter.

Sheinbaum proposes that if a percentage of what the United States allocates to wars were directed to peace building and development, “the mobility of people” would be addressed.

“On the other hand, and for humanitarian reasons, we have always expressed Mexico's willingness to prevent the fentanyl epidemic from continuing in the United States, which is a problem of consumption and public health in your country's society,” she said.

The president informed Trump that in this year 2024, the Armed Forces of our country, as well as the Prosecutor's Offices, have seized tons of various narcotics, 10,340 weapons and have arrested 15,640 people linked to violence related to drug trafficking.

He also explains that a constitutional reform is in the legislative process to qualify as a serious crime, without the right to bail, the elaboration, distribution and commercialization of fentanyl, among other synthetic drugs.

“However, it is publicly known that chemical precursors for the manufacture of this and other synthetic drugs enter Canada, the United States and Mexico illegally from Asian countries, for which international collaboration is urgently needed”, she clarified.

The chief executive reminded Trump that most of the illegal weapons entering Mexico come from the United States.

“Seventy percent of the illegal weapons seized from criminals in Mexico come from your country. We do not produce the weapons, we do not produce the synthetic drugs, we do not consume them. Those killed by crime to respond to the demand for drugs in your country, unfortunately we put them,” She sentences.

“President Trump, it is not with threats or tariffs that the migratory phenomenon or drug consumption in the United States will be addressed,” She emphasizes.

She considers 'cooperation and reciprocal understanding' necessary to face these challenges.

“One tariff will be followed by another in response, and so on, until we put common enterprises at risk. Yes, common. For example, Mexico's main exporters to the United States are General Motors, Stellantis and Ford Motors Company, which came to Mexico 80 years ago. Why put them at risk with a tax? It is not acceptable and would cause the United States and Mexico inflation and job losses,” She said.

Sheinbaum Pardo said she was convinced that the strength of North America, is the maintenance of the commercial partnership, to remain competitive compared to other economic blocs.

“I believe that dialogue is the best way for understanding, peace and prosperity in our nations, I hope our teams can meet soon,” the letter states.

SHEIMBAUM MORNING PRESS CONFERENCE 

SOURCE: LOS NOTICIERISTAS 

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