LA Sheriff Deputy Charged in County Jail Mexican Mafia Smuggling Network

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy is among 18 people indicted by a grand jury this week as part of a sophisticated drug smuggling operation involving Mexican Mafia associates inside the LA County jail system.

Half of those indicted are currently incarcerated. Among those indicted included an Anti-Gang Investigator at the LASD Deputy Michael Meiser who worked at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic north of Los Angeles. The facility is commonly known as 'Wayside'.

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Feds Takedown SFV Peckerwoods Gang in Los Angeles on RICO, Financial & Fentanyl Trafficking Charges

 "Socalj" for Borderland Beat

Federal prosecutors have announced the arrests of 42 alleged members and associates of a Los Angeles-based white supremacist gang as part of a sweeping indictment that names a total of 68 defendants.

29 of the suspects were arrested Wednesday during raids by a host of federal and local law enforcement officials, according to the U.S. Department of Justice and a newly unsealed 76-count indictment. Another 13 defendants were already in custody, leaving 26 who remained at large.

All the defendants are accused of being members or associated of the SFV Peckerwoods, which operates in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley, DOJ representatives said in a written statement.

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37 Charged in Federal RICO Case Against Florencia 13 Gang Members in Los Angeles

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

Dozens of alleged members and associates of a South Los Angeles street gang - including 23 defendants arrested Tuesday, are facing federal charges including murder, fentanyl trafficking and extortion, prosecutors announced.

Federal grand jury indictments unsealed Tuesday in downtown Los Angeles charge a total of 37 defendants, some of whom were already in state or federal custody, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The defendants are alleged to be members of the South Los Angeles-based Florencia 13 (F13) gang.

Authorities continue to search for 8 defendants, including multiple people currently believed to be fugitives in Mexico.

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Sinaloa Cartel Money Laundering in Los Angeles Part 3: Luxury Cars, Nightclubs, Restaurants & El Mago

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

Part 3 of a Series Looking into Money Laundering Operations Out of Southern California tied to the Sinaloa Cartel. Read Part 1, Part 2

Part 3 Business Fronts & Investments

Part 3 of the 'Sinaloa Cartel Money Laundering in Los Angeles' series dives into several Sinaloa connected traffickers and their involvement in legitimate businesses such as nightclubs and restaurants, including those operated around the nexus of "El Mago" and connected friends. 

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Sinaloa Cartel Money Laundering in Los Angeles Part 2: Precious Gems & Platini Jeans

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

Part 2 of a Series Looking into Money Laundering Operations Out of Southern California tied to the Sinaloa Cartel.

Each week Borderland Beat will analyze and investigate links between legitimate businesses and fronts as well as underground money transfers including crypto and black market peso exchange systems. Southern California has long been one of the key territories of the Sinaloa Cartel not only for drug distribution, but for laundering and funneling back the profits back to Mexico and elsewhere to fund further operations. Read Part 1 Here

Part 2 Trade-Based Money Laundering

Another method of moving drug proceeds employed by the Sinaloa Cartel and other organizations is the 'Black Market Peso Exchange' also termed 'Trade Based Money Laundering.' This is a system of value transfer as opposed to the transfer of currency (including goods and services) that exploits legitimate businesses and other trading systems to launder the proceeds of illegal activity. 

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Sinaloa Cartel Money Laundering in Los Angeles Part 1: Chinese Money Brokers

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

Part 1 of a Series Looking into Money Laundering Operations Out of Southern California tied to the Sinaloa Cartel.

Each week Borderland Beat will analyze and investigate links between legitimate businesses and fronts as well as underground money transfers including crypto and black market peso exchange systems. Southern California has long been one of the key territories of the Sinaloa Cartel not only for drug distribution, but for laundering and funneling back the profits back to Mexico and elsewhere to fund further operations.

Part 1 Chinese Money Brokers

Last week, the Justice Department announced a 10-count superseding indictment charging Los Angeles-based associates of the Sinaloa drug cartel for conspiring with money-laundering groups linked to Chinese underground banking in order to launder drug trafficking proceeds.

More than $50 million in illegal funds flowed between the Sinaloa Cartel associates and Chinese underground money exchanges as part of this network. The Chinese government cooperated with the DOJ's investigation to make arrests.

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Execution of Popular School Board Member in Mexico

Outrage in El Monte over abduction, execution of popular school board member in Mexico

Los Angeles Times

Andy Fernandez, 26, of South El Monte, wipes a tear from his face at El Monte City Hall, where a photo of slain El Monte school board member Agustin Roberto “Bobby” Salcedo and his wife was on display.

Los Angeles, CA - Residents in El Monte expressed outrage today over the killing of a 33-year-old school board member who was abducted and killed along with five other men during a holiday vacation in Durango, Mexico, this week.

"I hope this focuses people's attention on the senseless killings taking place in Mexico right now," said El Monte Mayor Andre Quintero, 34, who was close friends with slaying victim Agustin Roberto “Bobby” Salcedo. "He is a major figure in this community. He was a teacher for years, so imagine all the students he taught."

Salcedo was having dinner with his wife in a restaurant when armed men burst in and kidnapped him and five other men. All six were found dead Thursday, El Monte officials said. Salcedo’s wife was not abducted.

Salcedo, who was also the assistant principal of instruction at El Monte High School, had arrived in the Mexican city of Gomez Palacio earlier this week. The city of 240,000 is in the state of Durango and is the hometown of Salcedo’s wife, Betzy.

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