U.S. Sanctions The 'Bonques Brothers' And Five Others; Accused Of Trafficking Fentanyl From Nayarit

 "Char" for Borderland Beat 

This article was translated and reposted from RIODOCE 

Author | Editorial Staff

Date | November 19, 2024

Time | 1:32 pm

The US Treasury Department announced sanctions against the Bonques brothers' network and five other individuals, who smuggle fentanyl and other drugs from Nayarit, as well as being associated with the Jalisco Cartel - New Generation (CJNG).

The other five Mexicans sanctioned by the Treasury Department and members of the gang associated with the CJNG are José Adrián Castillo López, Luis Alonso Navarro Quezada, Erandiny Jazmín Arias Ponce, Araceli Castillo Peinado and José Sinue Castro Álvarez.

According to OFAC, the “Bonques Brothers” gang is led by Roberto Castellanos Meza, alias Beto Bonques, and is made up of his brothers; Ivan Atzayacatl, Giovanni and Juan Carlos, associates and close associates of CJNG leader Ruben Oseguera Cervantes el Mencho.

 The Bonques brothers have strong ties of cooperation with Audías Flores Silva, El Jardinero, the CJNG's regional leader in the state of Nayarit for the trafficking of all types of drugs and money laundering.

“The Bonques Brothers are one of the most prominent families in the state of Jalisco, dedicated to heroin trafficking, who during the 1990's played a preponderant role in controlling part of the market in the state of California,” according to OFAC.

The network that was subject to sanctions by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) alleges that the nine-person group is a key part of the CJNG's drug trafficking operations.

All of those sanctioned are subject to asset forfeiture and the freezing of bank accounts held in states and territories subject to U.S. financial laws, in addition to facing federal drug trafficking charges.

SOURCE: RIODOCE 

Read More

National Guard seizes Grenades, Explosives, Long Weapons And Magazines From CJNG In Nayarit

 "Char" for Borderland Beat 

This article was translated and reposted from EL OCCIDENTAL 

The seized goods were handed over to the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office.

AUGUST 24, 2024

Elizabeth Ibal / El Occidental

During a patrol, members of the National Guard secured grenades, improvised explosive devices, long arms, magazines, useful cartridges and tactical equipment bearing the initials of the Jalisco Cartel - New Generation, in the municipality of Xalisco, Nayarit.

The federal agency announced on Saturday afternoon that the discovery was made during security and crime prevention patrols in the town of Trigomil in the municipality of Xalisco, Nayarit.

There, the national guardsmen participating in the National Public Security Strategy in the state of Nayarit received a citizen's report alerting them to the presence of armed persons on board a pickup truck in front of a construction site.

With the characteristics, the officers went to the site and with the proper security measures, they went there.

They then spotted a group of armed individuals who, upon seeing the officers, escaped and fired at the officers, but none of them were injured.

A security operation was implemented to locate them, but no one was captured, but a vehicle was secured in the interior of which seven 35 millimeter grenades were found; seven improvised explosive devices, one of which was in a suitcase.

They also found five long arms, 50 magazines, 930 cartridges of different calibers and tactical equipment such as backpacks, knapsacks and vests with the CJNG acronym.

The seized items were handed over to the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office for further investigation.

SOURCE: EL OCCIDENTAL 

Read More

Dallas Mining Company Executives Found Dead in Rio Santa Rio

Borderland Beat

Two men, reportedly the CEO and CFO of U.S.-based exploration firm Southridge Minerals found dead.

According to several local media outlets, their bodies were found dead floating down Rio Santa Rosa river by local farmers, on the border between the municipalities of Ixtlan del Rio, Nayarit and Hostotipaquillo, Jalisco., local press reports

The bodies, corresponding to two men in their late 30s, were found by farmers of Ixtlan del Rio who were working their land near Hostotipaquillo, Jalisco. They also recovered a briefcase with documents revealing the names of Michel Davies and Derald Johnston, which are the names of Southridge Minerals’s CEO and CFO. The farmers said however, were forensic experts of Nayarit took bodies because they were in state territory.

The company has been involved in a recent controversy over its rights over the Cinco Minas project. The conflict worsened early this month, after a Canadian junior released an independent report revealing that Southridge’s Cinco Minas property has been non-operational for the past several years.

On February 5, Bandera Gold CEO Stephen Roehrig released a statement claiming  “press releases issued by Southridge Enterprises, Inc. (‘SRGE’ or ‘Southridge’) contain false and misleading statements about current mining activity and SRGE’s alleged ownership of the Cinco Minas project.”This followed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s announcement on December 28 that it had “temporarily suspended trading in the securities of Southridge because of questions regarding the accuracy of statements made by Southridge in press releases to investors concerning, among other things, the company’s business operations and arrangements.

Despite the U.S. company allegedly claiming the contrary, Canada’s Bandera Gold (TSXV:BGL) published a detailed report with photos and videos showing evidence the site and machinery have been “completely non-operational for some time.”

The Dallas-based firm, however, says in its website that it paid $7.5 million for exclusive concessions to mine the Cinco Minas and Gran Cabrera sites respectively located 100 and 135 kilometers northwest of Guadalajara in 2010. This fact is disputed by Bandera Gold, which claims ownership of both mines and displays the concession certificates on its website.

Speculation it could be an elaborate con job

a-faked-in-pump-and-dump-scam

Further investigation revealed that Southridge Enterprises is a corporation with a shady past to put it lightly. A 2006 article by British newspaper The Guardian revealed that now-defunct subsidiary Southridge Ethanol was essentially a fake company established as part of a “pump and dump” scam.

“Pump and dump” is a form of fraud which involves artificially inflating the price of an owned stock through false and misleading positive statements, in order to sell the cheaply purchased stock at a higher price. Once the operators of the scheme “dump” their overvalued shares, the price falls and investors lose their money.

During its investigation, The Guardian attempted to contact Alex Smid, then chief executive of Southridge Enterprises, but received no response from the listed telephone numbers or email addresses.

In 2010 the Vancouver Sun reported that an arrest warrant was issued for Smid for four counts of tax evasion and tax fraud allegedly committed from 2002 to 2004.

Later that year an investigation by PinkInvesting.com described Smid as a “seasoned criminal involved with the Mexican and Russian Mafia whose unscrupulous practices date back to 1980. His criminal feats include extortion, blackmail, loan sharking, counterfeiting, prime bank fraud and identity fraud.”

Smid’s current whereabouts are unknown. He is no longer listed on the Southridge website but a recent investigation by the U.S. government showed that much of the public information provided by the firm is untruthful.

On December 28, 2012, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced it had “temporarily suspended trading in the securities of Southridge because of questions regarding the accuracy of statements made by Southridge in press releases to investors concerning, among other things, the company’s business operations and arrangements.”

With pump and dump scams reliant on aggressive PR campaigns to attract investors, the SEC was clear to “caution broker-dealers, shareholders, and prospective purchasers that they should carefully consider the foregoing information along with all other currently available information and any information subsequently issued by the company.”

The latest dubious press release came on Monday, stating that Southridge had sold its concession to the Cinco Minas to Mexican mining firm Minera San Jorge. The phone number listed for Minera San Jorge did not appear to be functional and CEO Jaime Arturo Anaya Trejo did not reply to the Reporter when contacted via email.

At this time it is unclear what fate befell Michael Davies and Derald Johnston but it seems most likely that the story of their death was planted in the local press and it remains possible that theirs were false identities invented as part of this elaborate con.

Sources: Mining.com, Periodico Express, Afmedios, Tequila Files, GuadalajaraReporter
Photo: Cinco Minas

Read More

Mexican security forces kill 10 bad guys in Nayarit and Jalisco

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

Mexican security forces killed four armed suspects in a firefight near a remote mountain community in extreme southeastern Nayarit state Thursday morning, according to Mexican news accounts.

The incident took place in La Yesca municipality, which is 10 kilometers north of the Nayarit-Jalisco border, where Nayarit state Policia Estatal Preventiva (PEP) agents encountered 40 armed suspects travelling aboard a convoy of 10 SUVs at about 2230 hrs near Las Carboneras.

The police agents at the scene initially requested additional support.  State PEP agents were in the area because, apparently a number of passenger buses had been attacked recently.  Police reinforcements including an elite police unit arrived during the firefight to set up blocking positions near Jala, Ahuacatlan and Ixtlan del Rio, along Mexico Federal Highway 15D.  Highway 15D is a four lane highway that runs between Guadalajara, Jalisco in the southeast and Tepic, Nayarit to the northwest.

The firefight lasted until first light at about 0400 hrs when the suspects fled the scene leaving behind four dead.

Meanwhile, security forces went on higher alert following a counterambush by Jalisco state police agents which killed 6 armed suspects Wednesday evening at about 1700 hrs near the border with Michoacan state in southeastern Jalisco state.

According to reports, a police patrol was travelling along a highway between Ahuijullo, Jalisco to Tepalcatepec, Michoacan when the patrol came under small arms fire.

Police counterfire killed six suspects while the remainder fled the scene.  Two unidentified villagers were also killed in the gunfight, and two unidentified police agents were wounded.

Police seized one AK-47 rifle, a handgun and eight weapons magazines following the firefight.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantbrug.com

Read More

Three killed at Funeral Home

Nayarit - Three men were executed by an armed commando at the funeral home San Jose, the where they were having the funeral services for the people that were killed last Friday. The incident occurred this morning at the intersection of Mexico and Victoria streets.

Dead were Gumaro Plata González 37-year-old and cousin of the alleged low lever narco trafficker (narcomenudista) who was the deceased at the wake.

Also killed was Humberto Rivera León 32, son of the lady that was killed hours earlier in the community of Indeco. Rivera León was wearing a bulletproof vest but it did not saved his life or the AR-15 assault rifle he was carrying.

Read More

El Pepino Among the Dead

Xalisco, Nayarit - The Attorney General of the State of Nayarit confirmed the death of Jose Luis Estrada Martinez, “El Pepino” or "The Cucumber" a local drug trafficker, alleged leader of the plaza and the number of slain increased by twelve during confrontation between rival criminal groups early this Tuesday in the municipality of Xalisco.

According to the latest police report the confrontation that arose at 00:45 hours on Tuesday in the towns of La Curva and San José de Costilla in the municipality of Xalisco left a total of twelve people dead, which included eight that were burnt inside a truck and four that were executed with gunshots.

According to police sources among those executed is the father of José Luis Estrada Martínez “El Pepino,” and a woman along with her personal bodyguards.

According to official statements from the authorities, the wife of the alleged local drug dealer was able to identify the body of her husband who was 38 years old and originally from the town of Ruiz, Nayarit.

The identity of the alleged drug dealer was confirmed after locating a steel plate with 8 screws in the body, as well as bridge molar on the teeth.

Read More

At least 12 Sicarios Killed in Nayarit

Warning: Graphic Images!

The confrontation occurred in the early hours of Tuesday in the towns of La Curva and San José de Costilla in the municipality of Xalisco. At least eight gunmen were burned inside a truck.

State of Nayarit - A confrontation between suspected gunmen in the town of Xalisco left at least twelve people dead that included nine charred bodies found in a truck and three with multiple gun shots to various parts of their bodies.

According to police reports from the Attorney General's office the confrontation occurred at 00:45 hours on Tuesday in the towns of La Curva and San José de Costilla in the municipality of Xalisco.

Read More

Presumed Death of Alleged Zeta

State officials reported that the sicario that was killed in a clash Tuesday night in Tepic, was Saúl Salcido Acosta, "El Chango."

A shootout occurred in the Country Lakes subdivision, east of Tepic, between two rival groups, leaving as a result one dead, at least two policemen wounded and two presumed "masons" from Sinaloa state detained.

State officials reported that the sicario that was killed in the clash Tuesday night in Tepic was identified as Saúl Salcido Acosta, "El Chango", who is identified as one of the leaders of the Zetas criminal group.

The information was not official, since the source said that any information concerning the death of the alleged gunman, would be released as soon as the federal officials conclude their investigation.

This is partially due to the incident in which two suspects were arrested by the military after the confrontation in which three police officers were injured, this according to reports from authorities in Nayarit, but the injuries were described as not life threatening.

Read More

Governor of Nayarit Upset with Tepic Mayor

Audo where the governor of Nayarit is upset at the mayor of Tepic.

Tepic, Nayarit - There had been a shooting and the governor was riding on the streets of Tepic at night and there he had not seen any police patrols in the streets. Whan the Mayor called, he had just heard of the incident, two hours later, and the city police chief could not locate the Mayor anywhere.

Read More

Shootout in Tepic

Tepic, Nayarit - The State Police of Nayarit reported the gunfight between presumed sicarios, which occurred between the avenues of Laureles and Góngora in Tepic, that left a three dead and seven injured.

While most fled the scene, two gunmen died, two where injured and two were detained as they attempted to flee. The event in question occurred at 1200 hours when at least four armed men driving in a gray van confronted another group of presumed sicarios.

Of the bystanders injured, five out of seven are between the ages of 18 and 24 years old. Amongst them is Juan José Altamirano and his girlfriend Valeria Quiroga Mercado.

Read More