"They are turning me into a zombie" says Chapo of prison authorities

Lucio R. Borderland Beat republished from Business Insider

A few weeks ago, the government publicly announced the measures taken, to prevent Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán from escaping prison for a third time.  Among the actions taken is to move Chapo to a different cell every 3 hours, and restricting his attorney visits. 

Chapo, through his attorney says it is a little differently, but none the less, whoever you believe, Chapo says lack of continuous sleep is turning him into “a zombie”, below from Business Insider:

Sinaloa drug cartel leader , “El Chapo” claims that prison guards are "turning me into a zombie" because they won't let him sleep, according to the drug lord's lawyer.

Guzmán's lawyer Juan Pablo Badillo told Radio Formula that guards at the Antiplano maximum security prison near Mexico City — the same prison Guzmán escaped from in July 2015 prior to his recapture in January — have made his client feel he is a victim of "physical and mental torture."

“He told me, literally, 'Every two hours, at night, they wake me up to take roll," Badillo told the radio station. "They are turning me into a zombie. They do not let me sleep. All I want is just for them to let me sleep."

Badillo alleged that prison officials are denying Guzmán proper access to legal counsel, only allowing the drug lord about half an hour a week to speak to lawyers.

"It is brutal torture,' he told me," Badillo said. "This is what was done by Stalin in the '40s and '50s in Russia."

Read More

Who are "Creed" and "Z 27"?

Posted by DD

This welcoming sign on a mountain approaching Monterrey is not from Zorro.

By now, most of the readers of BB know that Ivan Hernandez Cantu, alias "Creed" is a Zeta from the Monterrey area that he was the big boss and controlled the prison, Topo Chico, in Monterrey. 

He lived a life of luxury there, with a cell that was 3 times the size of a normal cell (without a lock on the door), had a king sized bed and a  private tiled bath, and of course TV, AC, and all the toys and gadgets you would expect to see in a luxury home. 

Juan Pedro Saldivar Farias, known as Z 27, is a Zeta who is alleged to have been the regional leader of the Los Zetas in Tamaulipas.   Z 27 had  been in Topo Chico only a couple of months after being transferred there from Matamoros Cereso.

With the luxury life style of cartel bosses in Topo Chico, it is no wonder that Z 27 went to court in Tamaulipas and obtained an amparo (injunction) stating that he was not a dangerous criminal and posed no threat and the judge ordered his release from the maximum security prison in Matamoros and ordered  that he be transferred to Topo Chico..  Nuevo Leon Governor "Bronco" Rodriquez called that judges decision "absurd".

After a short while in Topo Chico Z 27 wanted to take control of the prison away from "Creed" and be the big boss himself.  He organized and led a group of about 20 Zeta inmates from the Tamaulipas region to attack and kill Creed.  The attempt did not succeed, but resulted in the riot that took place on Feb. 10 and the early hours of Feb. 11  during which 49 people were killed.

Read More

Los Zetas earn 15 million pesos per month from extorting Topo Chico inmates

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Proceso article

Subject Matter: Los Zetas, Topo Chico Jail
Recommendation: No prior subject matter knowledge required

Reporter: Juan Alberto Cedillo

The second section of the Seventh Military Zone warned Rodrigo Medina de la Cruz that thanks to the complicity of penitentiary authorities, Los Zetas obtained in the prison of Topo Chico some 15 million pesos per month for cobro de quotas ( extortion ), sale of drugs and other business, funds that permit the financing of the devastating narco war currently in the state of Nuevo Leon .

The warning occurred to half of the administration of Medina de la Cruz, but it was not unique: investigators from the Autonomous University of  Nuevo Leon published the book " Prison and Family", challenges for social cohesion and development of the 21st century, in which they document the tragedy that families live with  in the criminal prisons of the state.

Read More

Papa Francisco in Mexico: A visit to hell

Lucio R. Borderland Beat La Jornada:by Victor Toledo Translated: Amanda Coe, Mx Voices

 “It smells of sulfur.”  This is probably what crossed the Pope’s mind when he stepped off the plane in Mexico City. Almost in unison, dozens, perhaps hundreds of angels and archangels flew silently above him fleeing the ceremonies and protocols turned into a spectacle. If there was anywhere in the world to hear the “Earth’s cry and the poor’s cry”—which Pope Francisco claimed to be the main challenges for the Church to address—together, it would be in Mexico. Inexorably, he is confronted with this in the political, economic, and church elite who have turned the country into hell. Here are statistics of the tragedy: 164,000 killed, 27,000 disappeared, dozens of journalists threatened or eliminated, 9 million young people without jobs or school.

For this reason, the Pope’s reception by political-economic and church elite was more than significant as he seeks renovation, decency and a return to the social gospel as a means to rid the Catholic church of its crisis. 

The well-known devils, disguised demons, impeccably dressed and perfumed Lucifers waited for him. 

The cabinet members of the federal government filed before the Pope, so that he clearly saw a mosaic of sinners: satraps, power drunks, merchant accomplices, abettors, criminals, corrupt, traitors to their ideals, landowners, utter egoists, as well as arrogant and immoral governors. 

Read More

The Lux life at Topo Chico Prison

Lucio R. Borderland Beat

Entry to prison bar

Borderland Beat has published posts in the past,, about the luxuries enjoyed by leaders and top cartel members while spending time in Mexican prisons.

This week the Comunicación Social del Estado de Nuevo León, state agency released information and photos of luxury items and accommodations they found at Topo Chico prison.

Discovered in cells were minisplits (Air conditioning/heat units) high end mattresses, kitchens, and Mini-fridges.A full sized sauna, and bar was in the prison.  Painted on the ceiling inside the bar was a mural of Santa Muerte. (Below left)

The prison, located in the city of Monterrey, was the scene last Thursday of a deadly clash fight between two groups of inmates led by  leaders of the cartel Los Zetas. 

Ivan Hernández Cantú and  Juan Pedro Zaldívar Farías el Z-27, who were warring  for control of the prison. 49 died in the prison clash, many were killed by hammers, knives and wood clubs. 

The directors of the prison, protected criminals who controlled the prison, and are also accused of "drug trafficking, collection of “piso” and granting privileges" to some inmates.

Seized in Topo Chico were psychotropic pills, cocaine, marijuana and hammers 60 and 86 knives.

The prison has suffered from extreme overcrowding, so while most of the prisoners were so crowded many slept on the floor, the leader of one of the warring factions, Ivan Hernández Cantu, had king size bed, a 50 inch television  and luxury bathroom, plus the time the attack he had a “lady” companion at his side.

Additional photos on following page

Read More

After the bras, it's meth in lolipops.

Posted by DD republished from  Omaha.com

Associated Press |

MEXICO CITY — Police at Mexico City's international airport have found a load of lollipops with each piece of candy containing a capsule of methamphetamine.

The federal police say the freight shipment originated in the drug-plagued state of Sinaloa and was headed to Omaha.

Police X-rayed a 9-pound box of candy labelled "Handicrafts and Candy." Inside, they saw the circular shadows of capsules inside the lollipops.

Police said Monday that experts are still testing the capsules to determine their exact composition and weight.

DD:  Even as mild mannered as Warren Buffet is, I think the cartels better be careful.  They don't want to piss him off by sending meth laden lollipops into his city.

Read More

3 men from Reynosa killed in Bar de Chamba in Nuevo Leon

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Valor por Tamaulipas article

Subject Matter: Bar de China, Nuevo Leon, executions
Recommendation: No prior subject matter knowledge required

Three people originally from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, were executed Saturday night in the municipality of China, on the outskirts of the Metropolitan Zone of Monterrey.

The attack took place a little before 22:00 pm in the bar called "La Chamba", that is located in Calle Emilliano Zapata, close to the Presidencia Municipality.

According to witnesses that saw the events and gave details to the Ministerial Police, at least five people shot up the bar with long rifles and killed three men. After committing the assassinations, the attackers made good their escape and fled in two vehicles that headed towards Monterrey.

The bodies of the victims were taken to a University Hospital to have autopsies carried out and to be identified by their family members.

Original article in Spamish at Valorportamaulipas

Read More

Sinaloa: Police Find 13 Bullet-Riddled Bodies

Photo by: Miguel Dimayuga

Translated by Valor for Borderland Beat

A total of 13 people were shot to death and found on Saturday inside two vehicles. 

According to the newspaper El Debate, the attack occurred in Tepeguaje, municipality of San Ignacio, Sinaloa during an ambush on the edge of the Piaxtla River, at the height of a place called Los Brasiles, on Friday afternoon.

Along with the bodies, consisting of eight men and five women, authorities found a wounded minor. 

A group of people who were travelling to Tayoltita, Durango found the bodies and reported the authorities.

According to El Debate, at approximately 08:00 hours on Saturday, Mexican soldiers went to the site of the discovery to confirm the incident.

The newspaper also adds that agents of the ministerial police as well as forensic experts of the attorney general arrived at the scene.  They located around 200 AK-47 shell casings over a radius of 60 meters.

Supposedly the gunmen shot at the victims from the top of a hill, which made them easy targets.

The victims were identified as Saúl Gamboa Nevárez, 20; Gabriel Robledo, 18; Adán Alfredo González Mariscal, 25; Maurilio Fonseca Mariscal, 23, and José Luis Gamboa Vega, 30,  both from La Caña and Salomé Cebreros, 25, resident of the syndicate of Ajoya.  The women’s identity are unknown, the paper said.

Read More

Australia: 712M (usd) worth of Chinese liquid meth, seized in bra inserts

Lucio R. Borderland Beat republished from News.Com.Au by Megan Draplaski

Liquid meth, traffickers hoped to pass as liquid for bra inserts

MORE than $1.2 billion worth of ice has been seized and four people have been arrested in what officials say is the largest liquid methamphetamine bust in Australian history.

The drugs were allegedly imported into the country hidden in gel bra ­inserts and art supplies.

Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan yesterday announced 720 litres of liquid methamphetamine was seized in a joint operation by Australian Federal Police, NSW Police, Australian Border Force, the Australian Crime Commission and the NSW Crime Commission.

“This has resulted in 3.6 million ­individual hits of ice being taken off our streets with a street value of $1.26 ­billion,” Mr Keenan said.

The bust was two months in the making after the Joint Organised Crime Group began Operation OVCHARKA in November to investigate illegal drugs bound for Australia from Asia.

Read More

Remains of hundreds of victims, discovered at Veracruz ranch

Lucio R. Borderland Beat Translated material from Animal Politico

Almost three thousand fragments of human remains on a ranch in Veracruz

Two of these 5 students who vanished January 11,  have been identified among the discovered remains

It is estimated that the remains belong to hundreds of victims who were killed and their bodies burned and crushed.  Tierra Blance families seek Argentine  and New Mexico experts to confirm the remains of their children.

The ranch, ‘El Limón’ in Veracruz, where the remains of two of the five students who disappeared on January 11 were discovered,  was used by organized crime with the suspected complicity of security forces,  to eliminate the bodies of hundreds of people taken hostage over several years.

The discovery of nearly three thousand fragments belonging to hundreds of bodies was discovered  at the ranch, located in the town of Tlalixcoyan, in the state of Veracruz.

The fragments were collected at El Limón ranch, after three days of forensic work, by state experts and the Federal Scientific Police Division.

The search, which initiated because of citizen complaint, began by using dogs trained in  the location of human remains. 

Read More

Atty files for "El Mochomo" trial delay, discovers new evidence

Lucio R. for Borderland Beat with C.E. Martinez

Big thanks to Narcomics !!

Judge Richard J Leon    

And it begins…. but then again, maybe not quite yet.  The Washington D.C. trial of Alfredo ‘El Mochomo’ Beltran Leyva, is scheduled to begin on February 16^th.  However, last Friday, his attorney Mr. Eduardo Balarezo, filed a motion for a 90 day delay of trial.

In the motion,   it revealed the reason for the delay request:

“Mr. Beltrán Leyva became aware of evidence located outside of the United States that has a direct bearing on the credibility of several of the government’s cooperating witnesses, whom the government named just this week.

A prosecution that is principally based on cooperator testimony, such evidence is material and crucial to the defense of the charges.

Mr. Beltrán Leyva cannot proceed to trial without being able to obtain the evidence and use it in his defense. Counsel has made an ex parte proffer to the Court pertaining to the nature of the evidence. Considering that the evidence is outside the United States and efforts must be made to obtain it in time for trial, Mr. Beltrán Leyva respectfully requests a 90-day continuance of trial.”

Motion granted:

FURTHER ORDERED that the Jury Trial presently scheduled for Tuesday, February 16, 2016, at 10:00 AM is vacated, and will be rescheduled to and date and time to be determined. SO ORDERED. By Judge Richard J. Leon 

Motion on following page

Read More

Tijuana drug violence shoots up

Cartel Tijuana Nueva Generation emerges as a new player.

Menacing, crudely written signs hung from highway bridges or left with mutilated corpses have delivered the message: Mexico’s fastest-growing drug trafficking group, Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación, is now in Tijuana — and fighting to expand its influence.

The group’s growing presence coincides with a surge in homicides in Tijuana that started last spring, authorities said, and have continued in these first weeks of the new year, with many of the perpetrators and victims described as low-ranking members of the city’s neighborhood drug trade.

Drug-related killings accounted for more than 80 percent of Tijuana’s 670 homicides in 2015, the highest number in five years, according to the Baja California Attorney General’s Office. A total of 71 homicides last month marked the most violent January in the city since 2010.

Read More

Arizona just made its largest meth bust ever, and it may be a signal from Mexico's most powerful cartels

US Customs and Border Protection agents at a border crossing in Nogales, Arizona,seized 387 pounds of methamphetamine on February 5, the largest meth seizure in the crossing's history.

A tractor-trailer hauling bell peppers that was attempting to cross at the Mariposa Commercial Facility was stopped, and CBP agents pulled 400 packages of meth worth $1.1 million out of the trailer's front wall and rear doors.

The driver, Juan Rodolfo Lugo-Urias, was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations agents.

But the location and size of the bust indicate that he may have been just one part of the operation.

While fragmentation among Mexican cartels in recent years has made it easier for upstart traffickers to enter the trade, 387 pounds is a lot of meth, and it's more than likely that this was an operation run by an established cartel.

The location of Lugo's capture raises the possibility of two organizations: the Sinaloa cartel and the Beltran-Leyva Organization. And it may be a signal that neither of those organizations has faded from the scene, despite recent setbacks.

Read More

Its fertile territory for corruption, narco's for the benefit of few: Francisco I

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Zetatijuana article

Subject Matter: Pope Francisco I
Recommendation: No prior subject matter knowledge required

Reporter: Zeta Redaction

In his first official visit to Mexico, Pope Francisco said that the benefit of a few in detriment to the majority, makes for a terrain that is fertile for corruption, narco trafficking, exclusion, violence, person trafficking, kidnapping and death. ( Otis: you tell him Francisco!)

He also said that " this is causing suffering and slowing down Mexico's development, for the common good in the 21st Century, does not enjoy a good market".

Read More

15 bloodiest riots in prisons in Mexico

Posted by DD Republished from El Debate and Silver and Lead

The story we published yesterday, 2/11/2016,  about the bloody prison riot that occurred in at Topo Chico prison in Monterrey made reference to several other prison breaks in Mexico in the last few years.  The death of the more than 50 people at the Topo Chico prison adds to the following list of deadly events recorded in Mexican prisons since 1988.  

 1. 22-24 December 1988: 23 dead, including 19 inmates and more than ten injured in the mutiny by 50 inmates at the prison in Tepic (Nayarit).

 

2- May 17, 1991: 20 prisoners dead and 50 injured in a riot in the Mexican prison in Matamoros.

 3- July 2, 1996: At least 12 inmates killed and twenty injured in a prison mutiny in Los Mochis in the state of Sinaloa. 

 

4- October 9-November 11, 1999: 11 killed and 40 wounded in a long riot of  over a month  in a jail in Villahermosa, Tabasco, caused after several fights and attempts to escape.

 

Read More