Largest Fentanyl Bust in DEA History, 400 Kilos from the Sinaloa Cartel Seized in New Mexico

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

Federal authorities have arrested 16 individuals and seized record-breaking quantities of fentanyl, cash, firearms, and vehicles across multiple states, dismantling what the DEA is calling 'one of the largest and most dangerous drug trafficking organizations in U.S. history.'

Heriberto Salazar Amaya, 36, also known as "El Paisa," is the alleged leader of a drug trafficking organization distributing across the Southwest for the Sinaloa Cartel. The busts took place in 5 different states and included the record 400 kilo fentanyl seizure in New Mexico as well as dozens of weapons, high end vehicles and nearly $6 million in cash.

“This historic drug seizure, led by the DEA, is a significant blow against the Sinaloa Cartel that removes poison from our streets and protects American citizens from the scourge of fentanyl,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "This case represents DEA’s largest single seizure of fentanyl pills to date. I commend the men and women of DEA for their extraordinary work, day in and day out, and I remind the cartels that DEA is relentlessly in pursuit and will not stop until we destroy your networks.”

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US Transfers 100,000 Acres of Borderland in New Mexico to the Army

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum traveled to New Mexico today to announce the emergency withdrawal and transfer of administrative jurisdiction over approximately 109,651 acres of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border. The land will be transferred to the Department of the Army for a period of three years, subject to valid existing rights.

This action is intended to safeguard sensitive natural and cultural resources in the region while enabling the Department of the Army to support U.S. Border Patrol operations in securing the border and preventing illegal immigration.

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Slaughter in Juárez is Our Reform Call

The New Mexican

Poor Mexico, goes a remark most often attributed to turn-of-the-20th-century dictator Porfirio Díaz — so far from God and so close to the United States ...

God knows there've been enough reasons for Mexicans to think that — but also for norteamericanos to call up a play on those words by the great Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes: "Poor Mexico and poor United States; so far from God and so near to each other."

Flying in the face of both quotes are decades of great relations between both countries — commercial, personal and institutional, if not-always-so-great ones on the diplomatic front. Tourism, student exchanges and over-the-border shopping have created vast numbers of friendships transcending the whole notion of national boundaries.

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Cartel Traffickers in Española Valley

Rio Grande Sun

Española Valley, NM - Three alleged members of a Mexican drug cartel were arrested last week by a multi-agency narcotics task force in Española and Chamita.

Joaquin Cifuentes-Santiago, whose age has not been released, Jose Guerra-Mariscal, 31, and Martin Macias-Gonzalez, 21, were all arrested Nov. 17 and charged with trafficking of a controlled substance, according to Region III multi-agency drug task force Lt. Juan Martinez. They are members of a Nayarit, Mexico-based drug cartel, Martinez said.

Region III has been investigating the three men since January, Martinez said. According to an affidavit for a search warrant, a confidential informant contacted agents Aug. 8 with information that Cifuentes-Santiago told him he was “back in operation, dealing in heroin.”

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The Sanctuary City

Today is Election Day for the city’s mayoral race that includes incumbent Martin “Marty” Chavez, Richard Romero and Richard "RJ" Berry. The Albuquerque Journal polls show that Berry a Republican leads with 31%, while Democrat Chavez is at 26% and Democrat Romero is at 24%. Martin Chavez has name recognition and had been consider a “shoe in” coming in to the campaign but this election year things have taken a new surprising twist. Both Romero and Berry have come after Chavez swinging everything they can muster and the effecting result is visible in the poll.

One of the most sticky points and controversial issues that have been raised is if Albuquerque is a “sanctuary City.” A sanctuary city is a term given to a city in the United States that follows certain practices that protect illegal immigrants. These practices can be by law (de jure) or they can be by habit (de facto). The term generally applies to cities that do not allow municipal funds or resources to be used to enforce federal immigration laws, usually by not allowing police to inquire about one's immigration status. The designation has no legal meaning.

Mayor Chavez has been criticized for enforcing a city policy that supposedly prohibits city police from questioning suspected foreigners of their legal status. For some time now the local media has been having a field day reporting the issue of immigration and the city police that some say makes Albuquerque a sanctuary city. According to a report on KOB-TV, Albuquerque Police Department officers who find illegal immigrants will no longer contact federal immigration agents or the Border Patrol.

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